Rock of Love
by carenicoleIQ
Summary: When Tom Quincy gets asked to participate in a reality TV show, he drags his best friend and personal assistant, Jude Harrison along for the ride. JOMMY.
1. Chapter 1

AN: New Story. This story is sort of a parody of the VH 1 reality show ROCK of LOVE. Summary below. Hope you enjoy!!

Summary: Tom Quincy is looking for love—kind of. When his boss at the record label he works for asks him to participate in a reality TV show, Tommy agrees, but only because he wants to jump start his music career as a solo artist, something that's been on the back burner since his days as front man for a popular boy-band ended. He's not sure what he's getting himself into, but he'll do anything for his career and if that means dating a bunch of women on national television, he'll gladly make the sacrifice. His assistant and best friend, Jude Harrison, is along for the ride, but only because Tommy's done so much for her. He got her a job and she feels like she owes him…she might also have feelings for her bad boy boss. So what happens when the bad boy starts looking for love…will he get caught up in the buzz of reality TV matchmaking or will he recognize what's been right in front of him all along? 

* * *

Chapter 1- **Solitary Man**

_Don't know that I will but until I can find me_

_a girl who'll stay and won't play games behind me_

_I'll be what I am_

_A solitary man_

_Solitary man_

He wasn't expecting her to laugh. Of all the reactions he'd imagined, this was the last one that crossed his mind. And this wasn't laughing _with_ him. This was– bent over at the waist, from the gut, face red, can't breathe because it's so funny-- laughing _at _him.

She wiped at the tears leaking from the corners of her eyes, laughter still bubbling up and filling the air around them.

"Are you done yet?" he asked, annoyance reverberating through his voice.

She held up a finger, her bright red hair swinging forward to cover her face as another surge of giggles escaped. "Ok…I think I'm done now," she got out, still tittering.

Tommy rolled his eyes. "I'm so glad this amuses you, Jude."

She schooled her face in a mock expression of seriousness. "Sorry, Tom," though clearly she was not. Her blue eyes sparkled with unrepentant mirth. "I just didn't realize you were so lonely."

"Ugh…" he groaned into his hands, covering his face before raking frustrated fingers through his hair. He'd really hoped she'd be more supportive. "This isn't about being lonely," he bit out. "If I wanted a relationship, I could have one. I choose to be single…"

Jude rolled her eyes and settled back into the chair. This was a speech she'd heard many times. She could probably even recite it from memory if Tommy ever lost his mind and needed her to give it for him. There were too many beautiful women throwing themselves at him for Tom Quincy, former Boyz Attack front-man, to ever settle down with just one. For as long as she'd known him, almost eight years now, he'd always been unabashedly proud of his playboy image. When she was fifteen, she'd bought into the story, the image portrayed in the tabloids of the partying bad boy living fast and wild. Now though…

She'd been an intern then, a fresh-faced, snot-nosed teenager, eager to get her foot in the front door of the music industry. The opportunity was handed to her when her father called in a favor owed him by Darius Mills. Darius was the man with a musical Midas touch. He'd started off as a small time manager for an unknown boy band that, with a little publicity magic, became one of the biggest, most popular musical acts in the world. They made it big and so did Darius. Now he was a music mogul with his fingers in every aspect of the industry. He managed artists, financed music magazines and was President and Co-Owner of G-Major records. He also intimidated the hell out of Jude. When she showed up for her first day as an intern, Darius had given her a stern lecture on the pitfalls and perils of showbiz, ending with a "Be good to Big D and he'll be good to you." Then he'd stuck her with Tommy. At the time she'd seen it as a test. A type of torture that required her to work with the former boybander, who was the epitome of everything she hated about mainstream pop music. It was a lesson in dealing with arrogant, egomaniac assholes and her response was to annoy and irritate her reluctant mentor. It wasn't until much later that she realized Darius was using her to punish Tommy.

Tommy had brought Darius part of his success. He'd been an essential element of the boy-band formula. The suave player, charming and charismatic. Women of all ages had loved him and because of that, they'd bought millions of dollars in records and merchandise. Who wouldn't want their own Little Tommy Q doll, after all? But as was typical of boy bands, they flared out faster than a fireworks display, all flash and noise, brilliant and thrilling but over quickly, leaving only a twinge of excitement at the fading memory. The group had succumbed to any number of temptations, Tommy's the biggest. He'd decided to go solo, lured away by the promise of the group's fame focused on him alone, only to come back with his tail between his legs, begging Darius for a job. Darius was fair, he set Tom up as a producer, but he never let him forget what he'd given up.

Jude was fairly certain that it had amused the hell out of 'Big D' to pair them together. She spent weeks mocking Tommy even as she became his shadow in the studio, devouring the crumbs of information and knowledge he tossed her way. Of course he'd done his fair share of teasing and tormenting. He forced her to fetch his coffee, a special order from Starbucks that had never been quite right when she got it back to him. She also picked up his dry cleaning and anything else he demanded. Everyday there was a list of things he just _had_ to have before they could start recording.

Mid-way through the summer there was an unfortunate incident involving one of those lists. He'd written condoms down at the bottom, underlining the word several times to indicate the item's importance. Despite her mortification, Jude took it as a personal challenge and marched into the convenience store located blocks away from the studio and demanded the smallest size available. "It's for Little Tommy Q," she told the female clerk. "Emphasis on the _little_. Although what he lacks in size, he makes up for in ego," she assured the disappointed fan-girl ringing up the purchase. Then she'd calmly walked back to the studio. She thought of it as a sort of personal victory. She'd never forget the look on his face, equal parts impressed and stupefied, when she plunked the teeny-weenie protection down on the soundboard in front of him. Priceless. A girl couldn't buy that kind of amusement. Kwest , Tommy's best friend, had been there right next to him and watched the entire scene with barely restrained mirth.

Darius, however, had not been nearly as entertained when the next issue of Talk National had featured a picture of Tommy and Jude together along with an article implying a relationship, beyond professional, emphasized by Jude's purchase and a quote reiterating her comment to the convenience store clerk. Of course, the article had been called "Little Tommy Q. Lives Down To His Name." D had called them both into his office where they received an extensive lecture that left them both shaking with laughter. It had been a turning point in their relationship. A tentative friendship formed and the rest of the summer as spent with a comfortable understanding between the two. He respected her guts, and she respected his easygoing attitude. He could have gotten really pissed about the article but he didn't, he'd laughed the whole thing off. After that Tommy took the time to show her how a real producer worked, he even introduced her to some of his artists and she found herself admiring his talents as a musician and a writer/producer.

Of course something else happened that summer, something she'd never in a million years admit to anyone unless held captive and under extreme torture.

Jude Harrison developed a crush on Tom Quincy.

Of course at fifteen, it hadn't taken much more than a brief ruffling of hair to make her swoon, especially when Tom was such an outrageous flirt and, as her best friend Kat like to say_ "an Orlando Bloom sundae, smothered in Johnny Depp sauce."_ The crush was solidified when, on her last day before school started, Tommy surprised her with a hug. His final words "You know, you're not half bad, Harrison. Don't be a stranger," left her twitter-pated. Her adolescent heart practically thudded right out of her barely developed chest. She spent the whole first week of classes doodling 'Jude Quincy' all over her notebooks, much to the disgust of her other best friend, and next door neighbor, Jamie Andrews. It was Jamie who took it upon himself to rid Jude of her Tommy-induced delusions. He drove her to G-Major one day after school so she could 'drop in' and say 'Hi'. She'd been so excited about the visit and seeing Tommy that she spent all of her last period study hall fixing her hair and gasp putting on makeup, only to arrive and find some Paris Hilton wannabe grinding in his lap, attached to his lips.

Her innocent heart was crushed and Jamie had happily been there to pick up the pieces. Somehow they ended up dating and Jude stayed away from G-Major until the following summer. At 16 she'd thought herself grown up enough to be beyond childish crushes. She had a boyfriend, a built in defense that made her impervious to Quincy's charms, or so she thought. Even so, she was relieved to be assigned a new producing mentor. Kwest Taylor, Tom's best friend, treated Jude like a kid sister and she had a lot of fun working with him. Tommy stopped by a lot when they were working, always trying to tease her, but she hadn't taken the bait. Not even when he admitted disappointment that she hadn't stopped by to see him at all during the year. Jude had calmly looked him in the eye and explained that she had stopped by, but he'd been too busy sucking the lips off of some girl to notice. He'd been surprisingly embarrassed about it at the time and even apologized.

Looking back now, Jude couldn't remember how they'd ended up friends again. It probably happened more out of necessity than anything. Her sister Sadie started dating Kwest that summer and somehow she and Tommy always ended up along for the ride. She remembered an endless amount of teasing and taunting; her barbs had flown fast and furiously in his direction and were returned with equal fervor. Despite the bickering, they seemed to click when it came to working in the studio together. Side by side, they were kind of unstoppable. When they worked together, she could almost anticipate what he was going to say, do or need next. Jude went back every summer to intern and G-Major became her home away from home. Fast forward to the present and she was now gainfully employed by the place where she'd been molded and nurtured in her youth, the place that had fed her craving for music in all of its unfettered creative glory.

Of course, she was still working with Tommy. He'd shown a moment of selflessness and gotten her a job after she finished college. The salary was pitiful and she was basically his slave-slash-assistant, but she got to sit in on all of his sessions, learning the ins and outs of the industry from the best. He took her everywhere, business meetings and trips to make distribution deals. She'd made all sorts of industry contacts. Hell, she'd even dated a rapper for a while, much to Tommy's displeasure. Everything he'd done for her was setting her up for a spectacular career, and aside from the fact that he was annoyingly arrogant and entirely too good looking, she had no complaints.

Tommy's speech on the perils and pitfalls of committed relationship was winding down and Jude blinked, hoping she didn't look glazed over with boredom. "Yeah, yeah. You're a Super Stud who still needs to sew his wild oats. I got it."

He looked momentarily offended. "It's not about sewing oats, because I hope to god there haven't been any seeds 'planted'…." That panicky look he sometimes got when he didn't like thinking about something took over, distorting his handsome features.

Jude covered her ears with her hands. "Ugh…Say no more about seed. Ew!"

The panic receded and Tommy laughed, patting her legs. Her feet were resting in his lap as they sat in opposite chairs in front of the Studio A soundboard. Her chair moved, jiggling a little, as he tugged on her shoes. "Someday, when you're older, I'll explain the birds and the bees to you, Jude. I understand you're not ready now…"

Her response was a raised middle finger.

"Oh…ho…Looks like you know more than you let on," he nodded toward the obscene gesture and took great pleasure in the blush that spread from her neck to her cheeks, almost the same shade as her vibrant hair.

Ignoring his suggestive tone, she focused back on his original statement. "So, seriously, Quincy. Explain this to me. I'm not sure I understand where this is coming from seeing that, as you've already stressed, you don't have a problem getting your own dates."

Tommy's head rolled back onto the chair's headrest. He exhaled at the ceiling. "It's Darius Brainchild." That pretty much said it all. Tommy was still playing up to Darius, trying to make up for walking away from Boyz Attack all those years ago. If Big D wanted something, Tommy usually didn't have a choice.

"So you have to pimp yourself out, publicly date fifteen women at once so that it can be documented for posterity and pad Darius' pocketbook?"

Tommy grinned. "Put that way, it doesn't actually sound so bad." He paused, his expression turning semi-serious. "If I do this, he promised to put me back in the studio as an artist, not just a producer."

It was Jude's turn to smile, her whole face brightening. "Really?" She could see the hesitant excitement in Tommy's sky colored eyes. It was something he'd wanted for years. He'd been working on songs for a solo album since she'd met him. She knew he was constantly slipping Darius demos, waiting for an opportunity, another chance to try and get his music out there. That moment was now.

Impulsively she leaned forward, scooting closer until she was practically in his lap, hugging him excitedly, her knees in his armpits. His arms wrapped around her, returning the gesture.

Jude's obvious excitement for him only made Tom's smile bigger. He pulled back, their foreheads resting together. Jude was his best friend. She knew more about him that anyone and was the only constant in a life where too many people had come and gone. She drove him crazy, but he trusted her with his secrets, so she knew just how important this was to him. "This could be the break I need," he admitted quietly. Her eyes filled with understanding.

"Hmmm…Am I interrupting?" A voiced asked from the studio doorway.

Their heads turned simultaneously in the direction of the voice.

Kwest stood there, arms crossed, propping up the doorframe, smirking at them.

"Just the usual," Jude spoke up first. "Plotting to take over the world." Her voice mimicked Brain from her favorite cartoon. "Right Pinky?"

Tommy rolled his eyes and snorted. "I'd hardly call you the brains of this operation."

She mocked offense. "That hurts, Tommy. It really does." Her lower lip plumped out into a pout and Tommy stuck his own out. "awe…boo hoo." His arms were wrapped around Jude's legs as her feet rested on his chair, one on each side of his waist, and she was pretty much sitting in his lap, thighs spread. If it had been anyone else in the studio with them, the scene would have looked disturbingly intimate, but Kwest was used to it. They always seemed to be touching or sitting on each other, or hugging or …

"I see you two are still up to the usual antics." Kwest said with a shake of his head, unable to conceal his amusement. Sometimes he wondered if there wasn't more going on between his friend and sister-in-law. But he always squashed the thought. If there were something going on, he doubted they'd be able to hide it. As it was they'd fallen into friend mode a long time ago, something they'd probably never get out of because they were too comfortable with the status quo.

Jude stuck her tongue out at her brother-in-law. "You're just jealous because I don't belittle and berate you on a daily basis."

"Yeah, I'm real jealous."

Tommy slapped Jude's outer thigh a couple of times and wiggled his eyebrows. "She's a real ball-buster, this one."

"Hey!" She jerked back, frowning, lower lip sticking out even further.

Tommy shrugged and smiled innocently.

"Uh huh…" Kwest shook his head and stepped more fully into the studio. "Since you're using Quincy for a chair, mind if I steal this other one." He pulled the chair out. The movement startled Jude and she started to lose her balance. She might have ended up on the floor if Tommy didn't have such fast hands. He caught her, cradling her waist and scooting her further onto his lap. Jude flushed at the too intimate position and tried to scramble off him, her longs legs twisting until she stumbled to her feet, tugging awkwardly on her shirt, pulling it down over her stomach. She took a moment to smooth out her hair.

Tommy and Kwest looked on with amusement at her embarrassment, both snickering.

Her huffy retort only further amused them as she muttered "You guys are assholes!" and practically stormed out of the studio. They watched her march across the waiting area over to reception where her sister, Kwest's wife, Sadie was answering phones. Jude's fiery hair swished with her movement, hanging like a thick curtain down her back, a start contrast to the light pink of her tight Neil Diamond t-shirt. Worn blue jeans hung low on lean hips and her boots clunked angrily against the tiled floor. Tommy smirked. The girl sure knew how to draw attention. Even the studio musicians waiting for their session appointment with him stopped horsing around to watch her walk by. She finally reached Sadie's desk. Hands flailed and her head jerked towards the studio in their direction.

"Such a drama Queen," Tommy commented affectionately. He glanced over at Kwest. "She's bitching to your wife about you."

Kwest shook his head. "Probably. Although I'm sure your name and a few four letter words have also escaped."

"Yeah, but Sadie's used to Jude's tirades about me."

"So true."

Jude and Tommy had the market cornered when it came to bickering and five alarm arguments. Some of their matches were legendary. Tommy had fired her at least four times, but it never stuck. Not when she was the only one to call him on his bullshit. He'd never admit it to her, but he loved her feistiness. It kept him on his toes.

"So there's a rumor going around that you're going to join the ranks of reality TV."

Tommy pulled his gaze away from Jude. She seemed to have calmed down and was laughing at something with Sadie, head thrown back, perfect teeth flashing. He could practically hear the bubbling laughter and he momentarily wondered what was so funny.

"It's not rumor. It is in fact…a fact," he admitted turning back to the soundboard he was supposed to be setting up.

Kwest's eyebrows rose and Tommy went on. "Darius has decided that I'd be perfect for a new VH1 Reality Show. He already pitched it and the producers there practically creamed themselves. '_Former Boyz Attack front-man is looking for love. _' Of course _he_" Tommy pointed to himself. "is actually looking to rebuild his solo career, but there will be less emphasis on career and more on cunt."

"You talk to your mother with that mouth?"

"Nah. Just Jude when I want to see her blush." He grinned unapologetically.

"So how does it work?"

Tommy shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure. It's in development stages. The show doesn't have a name, but the concept is in place and they want it to air in six months. And there are definitely a few perks. They're going to send me tapes of 'auditions' for the show. Each girl is supposed to make a video that explains why I should pick them."

Oh the possibilities.

Tommy imagined there'd be plenty to choose from. Women of all ages, shapes, size and colors and he'd get his pick. Not since his touring days had his options for female companion been so limitless. Not that they were really ever limited. If he wanted a warm body in his bed, he normally didn't have to search very far. But, unlike his boy-band days, he tried to be a little more discrete when he felt the need for sex. Although that need hadn't seemed as pressing as it had a few years ago. Truthfully- and he'd never admit it to anyone, not even Jude-- the one night stands, the string of faceless women without ties-- were no longer appealing. He was far from ready to settle down, but he wasn't into bed hopping for sport anymore.

He wasn't worried about his lack of sex drive…not yet, anyway. He just attributed it to the workload he'd taken on. When Jude had started to work with him full-time, he'd asked Darius for more artists and he'd gotten involved in more aspects of each album than just the studio side of things. And Jude was helping him with his own music. It was a lot of work, but he loved it, even if he didn't always make it home at night. Most of the time they both just crashed wherever they were. But now, with this little reality show, his job for a few weeks would be nothing but focusing on women, something he was very good at, even if he was a little out of practice. Maybe things would start to look up for him in the romance department.

Kwest asked a couple more questions about the show and Tommy answered what he could. His attention was diverted when he glanced out the studio window and noticed Jude talking with the studio musicians. They were a group of young guys, still in high school, that worked cheap but played back up like a dream and they seemed completely enamored of her. The guitarist was ogling her boobs shamelessly and Tommy fought the immediate urge to beat some manners into the boy. There was a subtle art to boob admiration and this young man had clearly yet to learn it. Jude continued to talk, hands whirling, face animated. She didn't even notice the group's admiration. The drummer was leaning forward, eagerly hanging on to every word coming from her mouth as he fiddled with the drumsticks. One slipped from his fingers as he fidgeted. Jude smiled and bent over to pick it up; not realizing he'd dropped it on purpose. Tommy saw the hand that reached out toward her ass and was immediately out of his seat, sprinting towards the group, leaving Kwest gaping at him from behind. By the time he reached her, Jude was blushing beat red and her hands covered her butt almost protectively as her mouth hung open.

"Get your stuff and leave," Tommy growled at the group. His hands fisted at his sides as he resisted the urge to punch the little punk that dared to cop a cheap feel.

The boys' heads all turned, startled, guilty expressions on their faces. "Dude…it was an accident." The drummer stuttered, eyes big.

"I saw how big an 'accident' it was pal. And you just blew your chance to work here. Now grab your stuff and get the hell out, before I call security." This wasn't a joke. Nobody touched Jude like that and got away with it. She was clearly still shocked by it and stood there watching as the boys scrambled up from the couches and grabbed their things.

"Dude, seriously. We're sorry." The lead guitarist, the one with the grabby hands, mumbled the apology.

Tommy grabbed the kid's shirt front and yanked him forward, none too gently. "Don't apologize to me. Apologize to Jude. And then get your scrawny asses out of here."

One of the other guys, the taller one that played base, shifted nervously. "We're sorry," he mumbled. "Come on, man. Don't fire us. This is our break."

Tommy jerked his head and narrowed his gaze causing the kid to take a step back. "You should have thought about that before groping the lady."

The drummer stepped up. "You can't fire us. Mr. Mills is the one that hired us to play on the backing tracks for the new Instant Star."

Tommy released the guitarist, who stumbled back against the sofa. "Fine. By all means, let's go talk this out with Darius. I'll even let you explain exactly what happened."

Jude stood back, shocked at Tommy's show of protectiveness. He was pissed. She didn't think she'd ever seen him so mad. He was herding the group of gangly teens toward Darius' office when he looked back and caught her gaze, his expression concerned. She tried to give him a reassuring smile, a look that told him she was really okay. And she was okay. She had just been startled, not expecting to get goosed by a teenager unable to control his hormones.

"Jude, you all right?" Kwest came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. Sadie was fast approaching, having abandoned her spot at reception to see what all the commotion was about.

"What's going on?" she asked when she reached them.

Jude sighed. "Tommy's firing the studio musicians we've been working with."

Kwest snorted. "The guitarist totally copped a feel and Tom saw. He's pissed. He might be a player, but he's never disrespectful to the women he plays."

Jude wrinkled her nose with distaste. "That hardly sounds any better than being on the receiving end of a little grab-ass. Honestly, it's not that big a deal. That's probably the most action I've gotten since my vibrator broke."

Both Kwest and Sadie winced. "TMI, baby sister. Seriously."

"If it's not that big a deal, why didn't you say something to him?" Kwest ignored Jude's over-share.

She shrugged. "It's not every day Quincy plays caveman protector for me. I figured I'd wait and see how it played out. Besides, even if they don't get fired, you can bet for damn sure, they won't ever grope some girl's ass without permission again."

"How did this even happen?"

Jude glared at her sister, not appreciating the look of disbelief on her face. "Hey…I happen to have a nice ass. Of course they would want to grab it. I mean, who wouldn't? If I were a guy, I'd totally grab my ass," she said defensively.

"Harrison!" Jude jumped when she heard her name from behind her. Turning around she saw Tommy standing there, scowl in place, eyes narrowed.

"You bellowed?"

Uh. Oh. Now he was doing that squinty thing. He only did that when he was really pissed.

"This isn't a joke Jude. Those guys were out of line."

She wanted to roll her eyes. This was another lecture that she could live without. It wasn't quite as easy to memorize because there were usually inserted parts that pertained to each situation, but the gist was that Jude needed to be careful around guys, because they weren't always nice and were only after one thing, which he knew because he was the worst of them and blah blah blah. And then he would say he was only trying to look out for her, that he felt like her big brother and that's when she usually stopped listening and walked away. She didn't want Tommy to tell her that he felt like her big brother. There would never be a day in her life when she would see Tommy as her brother.

In an effort to stop his tirade before he could really start Jude walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tightly as she rested her head against his chest. She pulled back and looked up at him, inwardly smirking at the confused look on his face. "What was that for?" he asked.

"For defending me. That was very sweet of you and you didn't have to do that." She may have been laying it on a bit thick, but it was worth it when his expression softened and he hugged her again. "Of course, I did, Harrison. You're my girl."

She smacked a kiss against his cheek. A gesture not unfamiliar to them, but one that left her lips tingling each time. The tingling was only magnified by his words, the '_you're my girl'_ echoing in her brain. She only wished he meant them.

"C'mon. Let's go get some coffee," Tommy suggested, grabbing her hand. "You can tell me all about that vibrator that doesn't work anymore."

Jude blushed.

Tommy grinned.

Sadie and Kwest stayed rooted to their spots, watching the retreating duo. "Those two are…" Sadie started but her voice trailed off as she noticed her husband shaking his head before filling in the rest of her sentence. "There are really no words for what those two are."

TBC...

Disclaimers: Song is Neil Diamond, Solitary Man

Rock of Love belongs to VH1, I'm just borrowing the name and the concept.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2—__**Stupid For You**_

_**Why's it always feel like I am**_

_**Chasing love when nothing's there**_

_**And here I go just making the same mistakes...**_

_**I've fallen stupid for you...**_

_**oh, oh stupid for you.**_

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Jude groaned and threw herself onto Tommy's black leather sofa. "This is inhumane!"

Her complaints fell on deaf ears. "It's now your job, Harrison. You've officially been reassigned. All of our artists have been farmed out to new producers. You're stuck."

"But why?" her whining continued. "Don't you think it's about time Darius trusted me to work with some of these artists on my own?"

"All in good time, young Jedi," was Tommy's response as he set up the stack of tapes and the accompanying applications. He kept his face averted, not wanting her to read the guilt in his expression. In the eight years he'd known Jude, he'd only ever lied to her once. And it was a pretty big one. After she graduated from college, a music production major under her belt, her first stop had been G-Major--or more accurately, Tommy-- for a recommendation. She ambushed him when he'd taken her out for a celebratory dinner. There was begging and pleading until she'd finally turned her big baby blues on him, using them like weapons, holding him captive until he agreed to give her a reference. Then-- because he wasn't prepared to have her go off to some other record label, far, far away from him-- he'd gone one step further and offered to talk to Darius about a job for her.

Breaking into the music industry was really all about the connections you made, the people you knew. The talent part of it was a given and Jude had that in spades. She had a good ear and good instincts when it came to producing. She also had an easy rapport with the artists. She could get things out of them musically in a way that was unassuming and undemanding. Hell, they were usually thanking her when it was all done, like they'd just had some sort of a spiritual experience.

Despite that, Darius hadn't been interested. He spouted some crap about budgets and inexperience that Tommy hadn't believed for a second. It was the one time he'd really stuck his neck out since the whole Boyz Attack fiasco. In the end, a compromise was reached. Darius wasn't out any money and Tommy didn't have to lose his right-hand girl. She didn't have a clue that he was paying her salary out of his own pocket, had never even questioned it other than to wonder when Darius might give her some artists to work with on her own. Tommy didn't have the heart to tell her it wouldn't be happening any time soon.

"Look, I'll talk to Darius again after we get through these next couple of months. But right now, I really need your help," he told her as he sank down next to her on the couch. She'd already made herself at home, kicking her shoes off onto the floor and stretching out so that her legs were propped up on the glass coffee table. She had her arms thrown back above her head, a thin strip of bare stomach peaked out as her t-shirt rode up.

"How could I possibly help with this?"

"I figured we could work together. You'll look for substance and I'll look for…"

"Boobs." She filled in. "I bet your eyes won't even make it to their faces."

Tommy poked her bare stomach with his finger. "Sure they will, once I'm assured that their breast size is sufficient."

Jude rolled her eyes. "You're such a fuckin' pervert, Quincy."

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "You have no idea."

"Ugh. And I don't want to. Let's just get this over with. Where do we start?" She sat up and starting sifting through the stacks.

"Debbie from Dallas sounded interesting." He deadpanned.

Jude shot him an annoyed glare. "This better not be some lame-ass attempt to get me to watch porn with you. I will not be your wanking buddy."

"Aw, why not? The idea has such possibility."

She ignored him and focused on the stack of tapes, each clearly labeled with a name and number to correspond with an application form. "I can't believe this is what dating has come to. Who would think that so many women would resort to this?" She said it with equal parts pity and disdain and Tommy took mild offense. "Hey! I'm not that bad."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't mean you, loser. It's just these women…do you really think they're looking for love? I find it hard to believe they aren't a bunch of money grubbing attention whores."

Tommy shrugged and slouched down into the couch, picking at the seam of an ugly decorative pillow Jude had bought to 'liven up the furniture'. Clearly she thought this was all ridiculous. He didn't want her opinion to matter so much, but it did and knowing that she didn't approve, well, it made it harder to want to do this. Mostly because everything she kept saying, were things he'd already thought, but he just kept reminding himself that it was for his career. "It's not like I've got pure intentions either. This is less about finding love than it is about boosting my flagging career."

"Oh…poor Little Tommy Q can't get it up." She said with a babying voice.

The decorative pillow smacked her in the back of the head and she whipped around to glare at him.

His mouth was set in a frown. "I'll have you know that I do not now nor have I _ever_ had any problems with …_that_. Not ever." He spat out.

Jude tilted her head to the side, eyes twinkling. "I seem to remember a shrinkage incident at a pool party last year…" The taunt was barely passed her lips before he grabbed her and threw her back onto the couch, tickling her mercilessly, fingers digging into her sides.

"Ack! Quincy! Stop!" she yelped between giggles.

"Take back the shrinkage comment," he commanded as one hand tickled her ribcage while another reached for her foot, inching off her sock.

"Not the feet!" She tried to break free, but he was bigger and had her pinned down with his legs.

"Say it."

"But it happens to all guys," she sputtered and tried to twist her foot from his grasp.

"I'm gonna spank you next, Harrison."

Her laughter continued as she tried to fight off his attack. "Okay…okay. It wasn't shrinkage. It was a trick of the light." She managed to wheeze out.

The tickling ceased and he hovered over her, smiling wickedly. "That's better."

Jude sighed, trying to catch her breath as she looked up at him. Sometimes she swore she could come just looking at him. And she was damn near close just then with the way he was on top of her, breathing heavy and smiling like that. He hadn't shaved that morning and the dark stubble only enhanced the chiseled features of his face. Eyes too pretty for a man danced with playfulness and she could smell his cologne, sexy and musky. She'd gotten it for him for his last birthday and he'd worn it every day since, probably to torture her, which was exactly what he was doing now.

_Stupid, Jude. Stupid._ Tom Quincy wasn't supposed to make her feel these things, not anymore. She'd gotten over her crush when she was sixteen. And even if she had to constantly remind herself that he was off limits, the occasional lust induced fantasy somehow managed to sneak into her brain. It would linger, but only until he did something that reminded her just where their relationship stood.

Like now. He ruffled her hair affectionately, as if she were some amusing kid.

_Shit._

Using a little more force than she intended, she shoved him off her and he stumbled back on the couch while she scrambled up from the cushion. "I need something to drink," she mumbled and hurried away from him toward the kitchen.

"Get me a beer!" he called after her.

She lifted a hand to indicate that she'd heard his command and went straight into the kitchen to help herself to his…empty refrigerator. She stared into the stainless steel appliance and rolled her eyes. It was practically barren. The only things left were mustard, a jar of pickle juice, expired milk and a twelve-pack of his favorite beer. Of course he'd have that.

She returned to the living room with two glasses of water, handing him one as she sat down cross-legged on the other end of the couch.

"This isn't beer."

She shot him a 'duh' look. "It's not even noon, Quincy. I think you can wait until after lunch. You might want to be half-way sober while picking out the future Mrs."

"We only have to get through fifty tapes today."

"Fifty? How many are there supposed to be total?"

"That producer, David Zarek, told me they'd narrow it down to one hundred based on the questionnaire I filled out last week, and then I'm supposed to pick the final twenty girls."

"What? One hundred girls?" She almost aspirated the water she'd been trying to drink.

"I know, doesn't seem like quite enough to choose from." He frowned as he took a drink of the water she'd given him, wrinkling his nose with distaste. "Is this from the tap?"

Ignoring his water snobbery, Jude's mouth hung open in unrestrained astonishment. "You don't think one hundred girls are enough of a selection?"

"I suggested a mall tour. You know, have 'em line up, maybe do a talent."

"Good Christ, Quincy! This isn't a beauty pageant. You're supposed to be searching for love." She burrowed her feet into the couch in the crack between the leather cushions.

"Well, what would you suggest, Miss Smarty Pants?" He grabbed her foot, pulling her closer.

Now this Jude could do. She was good at organizing and planning. "Why don't we set up a number system? Rate them on their applications while we watch their tape. Then the girls with the highest scores will move forward and we'll just keep narrowing it down from there." She tried to jerk her foot out of his grasp, but he wouldn't let her. She was fully prepared to kick him, but he sensed her intent and let her go, the abrupt action enough to make her topple backward on the couch, her water sloshing onto her shirt.

She glared. "Are you like five now, or what?" she mumbled angrily, trying to straighten her clothes as she resettled on the couch. He was too busy laughing at her to care.

Six hours later, the apartment living room was littered with Chinese food takeout containers along with empty beer and soda bottles. Jude sat hunched over the glass coffee table tallying the totals of the women they'd viewed so far.

"Okay, here. Brittney from Tampa Bay got a total of 86 points. That's pretty good. You gave her an eight for body," she paused as she squinted to read Tommy's handwriting. "Did you really write 'more cleavage'?" She shook her head disapprovingly. "Oh, hey…She's got a Master's Degree in Biotechnology. Why'd you give her a three for that?"

Tommy didn't bother looking away from where he was playing basketball with himself, throwing the small toy ball into the hoop that was stuck to the wall by the fireplace. "She's too smart. We'd have nothing to talk about. Seventh grade dropout, remember?"

"Does that mean _I'm_ too smart for you?"

Tommy retrieved the ball from where it had rolled under the couch and threw himself onto the cushions. "I happen to know you were a solid 'C' student when it came to everything but music. You're safe…you're just stupid enough."

She threw a broken fortune cookie at him. He ducked and sank further into the couch, relaxing on his back. If he knew what was good for him, he'd stop insulting her, especially when he trusted her to help him find his future bride. What if she accidentally slipped someone 'unsavory' into the pile? She supposed that might teach him a lesson.

"Okay, fine. We'll eliminate any girl that uses something other than her boobs to think. What about Katie from Ottawa? You wrote 'thumbs up' but didn't give her an actual rating."

"Ah, yeah…she had a nice voice--kinda deep and raspy. Good body…"

His voice trailed off as if he was imagining Katie. Jude did a double take as she read through the rest of the application. She almost choked on her own saliva when she got to the bottom part that read 'extra notes'. "Uh…Tommy, did you even read this one? Because Katie from Ottawa's real name is actually Karl. As in, Katie used to have a penis."

"You're shitting me." He reached out and grabbed the application from her hands, sitting up to read it.

"I shit you not." She replied, inwardly smirking. Okay…so this _was_ a little bit fun. At least the part where Tommy was tortured and uncomfortable.

Tommy's mouth dropped open. "But she was pretty…I mean, he..._he_ was pretty and …there were boobs and…"

"Now that I think about it, there was also something that looked suspiciously like an Adam's apple," Jude filled in.

"Fuck. Me." He muttered.

"I'm sure Karl would love to." She smirked as he shot her a panicked look.

"No offense to Katie or Karl or whatever the fuck …I just…I…" Tommy ran his fingers through his hair nervously. It wasn't that he was prejudice. If Karl was happier as Katie, more power to him--er-- her. But Tommy couldn't…well, it just wouldn't work. Even if there were only one penis in the relationship the ghost of the other would always be there, like a phantom limb. Isn't that what some people experienced when they lost an appendage?

Jude reached out and rubbed his thigh comfortingly. "It's okay. I understand. We'll just keep going." He relaxed back onto the couch again, looking a little haggard. Whoever said picking out women would be easy had lied. This was worse than trying to pick up girls at a bar. It was _actual_ work.

She pulled out the next application and quickly scored it. "Okay, this one is Tammy from Memphis, home of Elvis. She apparently likes long walks on the beach. Her favorite author is Judy Blume and she wants to be a professional dancer. Her father is an Elvis impersonator and so her nickname is 'Pris'."

Jude paused, a thoughtful look on her face.

"What? You look confused." Tommy commented.

"I thought Elvis' daughter was named Lisa Maria and that his wife was named Priscilla."

They looked at each other and a simultaneous "Ewwww" left their lips before they both starting laughing.

"So do you wanna deal with those…uh…daddy issues?" Jude questioned as their giggles died out.

"I think I'll pass. What else you got?"

Jude set aside the application from 'Pris' and looked at the next. "Trinity from San Diego."

Tommy smiled and nodded. "I remember her. One hundred percent, _Yes_."

Jude's eyebrows rose. "She's only nineteen," she started to protest.

"That's legal here and in the states. It's a yes. Next…" he motioned for her to go on.

She tossed the application carelessly into the 'yes' pile and grabbed another. "Marisol from Vancouver." Scanning the page, she wanted to gag. "This is gross. She actually described her favorite sexual position. She even gave it a number. That's just…wrong."

"She's a no." Tommy said hastily and tried to take the sheet from Jude's hands.

"Not that I disagree but is there a particular reason? I thought you'd like someone open to…different things."

"Uh…" he scratched his head. "I think that she and I have met before. That number seems kind of familiar. I wouldn't want to stir up any lingering feelings."

Okay, that was just disgusting. Tommy was a man-whore. Seriously. How was she even friends with him? "Of course not. I totally understand." The sarcasm in her voice could not be mistaken. "Who would want some bitch stupid enough to actually like you and want more than a one night stand?" she mocked. She grabbed another application, refusing to look at Tommy.

Tommy's eyes narrowed. "Have I fired you yet this week?"

Jude smiled sweetly. "I'm sure it'll happen before the end of the night. Now, how's about Kara from Winnipeg?"

The picking and choosing went on for hours, as did the bickering. Jude kept Tommy's feelings in mind for the most part, but she may have slipped a couple of girls into the 'yes' pile when he wasn't looking. And she might have removed a couple as well. He'd never know the difference. They had narrowed the pack down from fifty to twenty hopefuls. Not bad for the span of a day.

Tommy was half asleep on the couch when Jude started picking up around the living room.

"Leave it. The cleaning service is coming tomorrow," he mumbled from beneath the arm he'd thrown across his face.

"They going to stock your fridge too?" she teased.

"No," he yawned. "I figured you and I would do that. It's late…you gonna crash here?"

Jude glanced at the clock. It wasn't even midnight yet. "Nah. I'll head back to my place."

"Take a nap with me," he insisted.

"Tommy…"

He lifted his arm from his face and gave her that puppy-dog-pouty face that she'd never been able to resist. "Please?" Even his lower lip stuck out when he did it, like he was begging and would be the saddest boy in the world if she said no.

"Fine," she gave in huffily. "Just a few minutes. Then I gotta go." She crawled onto the couch and he quickly pulled her down so that she was sprawled out on top of him, their knees touching, her toes brushing his ankles.

"You can be my blanket, Harrison."

Outwardly she rolled her eyes, but she quickly settled against him, resting her cheek on his chest as his arms wrapped around her waist. He gave her a gentle squeeze and then his hands settled on the small of her back. She knew it was dangerous to be with him like this. It made her want things that could never be, but she couldn't pull herself away, not when she felt so safe and cared for. Instead she lay there breathing him in as the steady rhythm of his heartbeat thumped beneath her ear, soothing her as it lulled her to sleep.

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_**Oh, I was doing so well, can we just be friends,**_

_**I feel a weakness coming on.**_

_**--The Walk**_

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He woke up half hard, a soft belly pressed against him, the warm weight of a female draped all over him. His arms tightened around the body that covered his like a blanket, silky hair brushing against his skin. For a moment, he let himself enjoy the feeling. He hadn't woken up like this in…well, a long time. He wasn't in the habit of actually _sleeping_ with women.

It wasn't long before his sleep addled brain began to piece together where he was and just who the woman in question might be. He remembered begging Jude to take a nap with him before she left and as he opened his eyes, he was met with the sight of her burrowed against him. Her face was in the crook of his shoulder, arms bent with her hands resting on his chest as she used him for a mattress. Tommy realized that he couldn't move, not with her on top of him like that. Normally he wouldn't hesitate to wake her up, but she was snoring softly, the sound reminiscent of a purr and he could feel soft puffs of air against his shirt's sleeve. He tried to shift, stretch a little of the stiffness out. His movement stirred her and she nuzzled her nose against his armpit. The action made him chuckle. He made no immediate move to extricate himself; instead, he tightened his arms around her, letting his hand rub up and down her back. It felt good to just hold her, no bickering or innuendo.

Her lower body shifted and Tommy remembered what woke him up-- the subtle feel of something rubbing against him. His dick perked up and he winced. Now this…this wasn't supposed to be happening. Not with Jude. He knew that it was a natural reaction and probably had nothing to do with her, but rather that it had been a good six months since he'd gotten laid and she happened to be a female.

"Hmmm…" a sleepy voice interrupted his thoughts. "Someone's certainly _up_ and at 'em this morning." Jude's head popped up-- bangs messy and standing straight up as she grinned at him with heavy eyes.

He frowned down at her, his hands stopping their movement and falling away from her. "I was so overcome with lust when I realized that you drooled on me that I couldn't help myself," he told her.

Her eyes got wide and shot to his shirt. Sure enough there was a wet spot on the sleeve. Her face flamed and she awkwardly tried to sit up, her knee narrowly missing an important part of Tommy's anatomy. He covered himself protectively. "Watch what you're doing, Red. That's valuable equipment there and I don't exactly have insurance."

She scooted away from him, sitting on the edge of the cushion. "Whatever. What time is it?" She brushed a hand over her face and tried to smooth down the flyway hair. Jude was not a morning person. Never had been, never would be. Which Tommy didn't really mind, because he wasn't much for mornings either.

He glanced over at the entertainment center to the clock on the DVD player. "Looks like it's after ten am."

"Good god, you're the lumpiest mattress I've ever slept on."

"So sue me."

"Maybe later when I've had more sleep," she grumbled. After another minute of grousing she stood up. "I'm going to go take a shower. When I get out, you're going to have a pot of coffee made. I'm going to drink it and then I'm going home to sleep for the rest of the day."

He grabbed her hand and forced her to help him sit up. "You can take a shower, but I'm afraid I'm out of coffee." He hated to be the bearer of bad news, especially knowing how upset she'd get over the lack of caffeine. Coffee was Jude's crack. She kind of _had_ to have it and he'd been on the receiving end of some seriously bitchy behavior when she didn't get her fix. "Before you get upset, I promise to take you to Starbucks and buy you the largest coffee they have as soon as you're ready."

"With an extra shot of vanilla?" she asked through narrowed eyes and a pouty expression.

"Two if you want."

She seemed satisfied with that and made off for the guest bathroom while Tommy went to his own room to shower and change. When he came out of his bathroom ten minutes later, Jude was in his room digging through his dresser drawer. Her red hair was wet and dripping water down her back. A back that was only covered by the towel she had wrapped around herself.

"You're getting water on the floor," he pointed out as he moved past her and pushed her out of the way. A towel draped low around his lean hips and neither of them seem to care that the other was practically naked.

She glanced at him. "So are you. I need some clothes. I'm not wearing what I had on yesterday. The last time that happened there was an article in Talk National about my walk of shame that segued into my questionable taste in clothing. I will not have that happen again."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "I don't know why they bother with you. You're not famous."

Jude chuckled. "Wow. No wonder you're so good with the ladies. Way to make me feel special, Tom. I happen to be famous by association. I hang out with you and I used to date Shay and then there was the Speiderman...incident."

Now it was Tommy's turn to grumble. He did not need to be reminded of the Speiderman incident, not this early in the morning. "They should still leave you alone. I wish they didn't hound you."

Jude shrugged and pushed a damp lank of hair behind her shoulder. "Don't sweat it. It makes me feel like Paris Hilton. Only I'm not rich or dumb…but I'm okay with that. Really."

He laughed and pulled out a clean pair of boxers and some socks before going over to his closet to find a shirt and jeans. He didn't see Jude watching him, or the way she licked her lips as her gaze raked over his half naked form.

Jude forced herself to look away and went back to rooting through Tommy's clothes. He had to have a decent t-shirt or something buried beneath all that preppy crap with the logos.

"I don't know why you bother," he said over his shoulder as he walked back into his bathroom, clothes thrown over his arm. "You'll dig through my stuff, mess up the sorting and then get frustrated and put your own clothes back on. You do that every time." He kept the bathroom door open just a crack as he changed.

"Shut up!" she yelled back. "Ahah! Here. I found something."

He didn't get to see what she found until a few moments later. He was watching E! News' latest breaking story on celebrity breakups and hookups when Jude emerged from the guest bathroom. She was wearing one of his old t-shirts from his Boyz Attack days, when he'd been forced into doing all sorts of promotional advertising. This one was for a taco place that had since gone out of business, and it hung on her small frame like a dress.

"Oh god, I thought I'd burned that thing," he groaned as she came to sit by him. She'd sucked it up and put on her jeans, but the hem of the shirt was almost to her knees. "Tell me you're at least wearing a bra with that."

She ignored him and grabbed the remote to shut the TV off before taking his hand and tugging, trying to pull him up from the couch. "You promised me Starbucks. Let's go. Now!"

They got a call from Kwest while they were in line at Starbucks. Tommy was flirting with the barista and Jude dug the phone from his front pocket, jostling him on purpose, only to be ignored.

"What up, homeboy?" She answered.

"Jude? Where's Tommy?"

Jude glanced over at her friend as he chatted up the adolescent behind the counter. Their coffee was clearly ready, but it was sitting there being ignored-- much to Jude's displeasure. They had already paid, so she wasn't sure what he was doing. She reached around him and grabbed her drink, offering the girl a fake smile.

"Tommy's trying his best to get arrested for macking on the underage," Jude said into the phone, loudly enough for Tommy to overhear. He shot her a dirty look but took his coffee and ended the conversation.

"You two need to get to the studio. Some time cleared up for Studio A. Darius wants Tom to start recording for the album."

Jude handed her scowling friend the phone and watched as his eyes lit up at Kwest's news. He forgot about her earlier insult and instead put his energy into getting them to G-Major as quickly as possible. He pulled the Viper into the parking lot, grinning as he and Jude made their way inside. Kwest was waiting for them, soundboard set up.

"I hope you've got something ready," he commented as Jude came in and took the empty chair next to him.

Tommy looked like a little kid at Christmas. "I've been waiting for this for a long time. I was born ready," he assured them cockily as he tapped the back of Kwest's chair playfully.

"Then get your ass in there so we can lay down your first track."

And they were off. Tommy was finally getting to do what he'd been waiting to for so long. Jude couldn't wait to hear which song he picked first. But it wasn't to be. There were other, more pressing, matters about scheduling to deal with and she grudgingly went off to take care of them. When she got back to Studio A almost three hours later, she found Tommy and Kwest sitting in the booth, listening to the playback of the song.

Tommy smiled when she walked in and patted his lap. She took the offered spot, sitting sideways with her arm around his shoulders. "How's it going?"

He cleared his throat and looked anxiously over at Kwest. "I think it's going…okay." Jude looked at Kwest who was shaking his head.

"It's more than okay. The song is great. Mr. Perfectionist over here isn't happy with something, though and he can't quite figure out what it is." As he spoke Jude took the opportunity to smooth down the collar on Tom's pink polo shirt. She hated when he wore it flipped up. It was too 'eighties preppy' of him and made him look like douche bag in the shirt she'd bought for him.

"Can I hear it?" she asked, eager to listen to the playback and form her own opinion.

Tom nodded. "Yeah, but tell me what you've been doing first."

"Okay, well, I just got off the phone with that David Zarek guy. He and Darius have been talking and they want to move things forward very quickly. In fact, they want to start shooting the show next month," she explained.

"What? I thought they were going to wait until I had the album finished or at least mostly finished."

She shook her head. "Nope. They're convinced that it would be better to get the actual taping of the show done first. It won't air immediately because there'll be interviews and lots of editing to do, I guess, but it sounds like they're pretty desperate to get this going. And…they also want to do some open call casting sessions here at G-Major. The first one is next week."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" He didn't seem too happy about this development, but she quickly realized that it was less about the show and more about the fact that his album was getting pushed back.

"Hey…" she put her hand on his cheek. "It's okay. You've still got a month to keep writing more songs and we'll get in here and record whenever we can. Even if we have to be in here at midnight. We'll make it happen."

He offered her a partial smile and took her hand, kissing her palm. "Thanks. I appreciate that." He paused. "So do I have to be at these casting calls?"

"Actually, no. In fact, they really don't want you around the studio when they take place. David said he'd prefer you not meet any of the contestants until show taping begins. But I figured you'd be excited about the casting call. You can request the talent portion of it like you were talking about."

Kwest sat off to the side, mostly unnoticed as they had their conversation. He understood about half of what was being said and was curious about the rest. The two of them did a pretty good job of forgetting anyone else in the room when they were working on something. Usually Jude was sort of calling the shots when Tommy went into the booth to record. It was like they could read each other's minds. He'd say 'cut' and she'd nod and almost instinctively know what the problem was. It was great if you were them, but if you were trying to help produce, you were pretty much left in the dark. And that applied to everything else as well.

"Uh…the song?" he reminded, pulling their attention back to the task at hand.

"Oh, right. Let's hear it," Jude said eagerly, jumping up and down a little like an excited school girl. "Which one did you decide to do?"

Tommy scratched the back of his head and shifted beneath Jude's slight weight. "Uhm…_'Lonely No More'_."

Jude smiled and started laughing. "That's too perfect. If you get it finished before the show starts, they can use it and…" Tommy was nodding, agreeing with her and Kwest rolled his eyes as they had another of their silent conversations.

"That's exactly what I was thinking…they could use it for promos…"

Jude insisted on hearing the playback then and they listened to it at least ten times before figuring out just what it was that Tommy was uncomfortable with. A knock on the door interrupted them before they got any further and Darius Mills poked his head inside.

His eyes narrowed when he noticed Jude on Tommy's lap. "Hard at work, I see."

Tommy offered up an unrepentant grin. "Just working on my new song. To what do we owe the pleasure?" As he spoke, Jude stood up from his lap and went over to the book bag she'd tossed on the floor and dug around in it, trying to look busy. Darius made her uncomfortable sometimes and she'd definitely seen the look he'd given them when he walked in.

"I need to talk with you about the show. My office, five minutes." He commanded.

Tommy's expression turned serious and he nodded.

Darius said nothing as he left and Tommy got up to follow him out. "See if you can tweak that bridge while I'm gone. We can work on it some more when I get back."

Jude and Kwest nodded and she got up to take Tommy's chair. Kwest watched Jude as she watched Tommy. For the first time ever, it occurred to him that maybe there _were_ feelings deeper than friendship between Tommy and Jude. Although they seemed to be coming from Jude. She watched Tommy with thinly veiled longing and a deep resignation. She wanted him, was probably even in love with him, but had resigned herself to nothing more than the friendship he offered.

This…wasn't good. His sister-in-law was setting herself up for a whole lot of heartache. Everyone always joked about Jude and Tommy's relationship, teasing them about it being more, but it was always just a joke, but now he wondered if Jude's reaction to those jokes--the put on disgust-- was just a defense mechanism, to protect her and keep her feelings buried, so no one knew they were there-- not even Tommy.

"So you should come over for dinner tonight," Kwest suggested as they went back to working on the song.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure. That would be great. Tommy would probably love a home cooked meal and Sadie's gotten pretty good."

"No…I meant just you."

Jude looked up, surprised. "What? But Tommy's always invited." The confusion in her voice was all over her face as well.

"I know but…and I say this with the greatest amount of respect for you and because I love you like a sister, but you need to get a life outside of his."

Jude wasn't even sure what to say to that. A million emotions…hurt, anger, embarrassment all went through her at once and she got up from the chair, needing to escape. She didn't even know how to respond to Kwest. He spoke out of concern and it was something that she didn't want to hear, didn't want to be faced with. It was one thing to privately admit that you might have feelings for a person that you probably shouldn't, that maybe your life revolved around that person in a way that was potentially heartbreaking. It was entirely another to realize that you weren't the only person who knew or at least suspected and it was clear that her brother-in-law had figured it out.

She grabbed her stuff and left the studio like it was on fire and fled G-Major. Outside she blindly walked, not really caring where she was going, just knowing that she needed to escape.

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_**It's not meant to be like this, not what I planned at all,**_

_**I don't want to feel like this, Yeah,**_

_**No it's not meant to be like this, not what I planned at all,**_

_**I don't want to feel like this, so that makes it all your fault.**_

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Tommy sat down in Darius' office and waited for the man to give his little speech, because that's what he was sure was coming. Darius was big on speeches and he had that expression he got, like he was going over his words in his head before he actually spoke.

"I'm sure Jude filled you in on the updated shooting schedule," D started.

Tommy nodded. "She did. I was concerned at first that it might mess up the schedule for recording the album, but if you don't mind, I'll use the studio after hours to get it done."

Darius nodded, hands folded across his chest as he leaned back in his large leather chair. "That's fine." He leaned forward and moved his hands to the surface of his desk. "There's something else we need to talk about." He paused. "It's about Jude."

Tommy stiffened in his chair, not liking Darius' tone. "What about her?"

"You need to stop spending so much time with her." Darius went on before Tommy could interrupt with an outraged rant. "She's constantly in the tabloids with you, coming from your house like she's just spent the night. Even if what you say is true, and you two are just friends, the image that your 'friendship' gives off isn't going to play well once the show starts. No one's going to believe that you're 'Looking for Love' if you've got your very own Girl Friday."

Tommy scoffed, hardly able to believe what he was hearing.

"Don't get me wrong, T. I like Jude. I really do. She's smart and sweet and talented. You two work well together, so I'm not about to break up the little team we've got going. But if you continue to carry on like you do –her sitting on your lap, holding hands in public etc- well, it's going to mess with the image we want to sell."

"What are you really saying?" Tommy's jaw was tight with tension. His lips compressed in a thin line.

"You need to cool things for awhile. Just until after the show airs. By then you'll have a new girl anyway and it won't matter, but for now…just lay off."

Tommy wanted to respond with an outraged cry and punch things. Instead he got up from the chair and walked out. This was fucking ridiculous. Who was Darius to tell him whom he could hang out with? Okay, so he was his manager and the man that was going to finance his record, but still. How was it anyone else's business who he was friends with?

He went back into the studio, needing to lose himself in the comfort of creating a song. He could worry about the other thing later. When he got there, Jude was nowhere to be found and Kwest looked…worried.

"Where'd Jude go? I thought we were going to finish the song," he sounded irritable and Kwest looked away.

"Uh…Jude had to leave."

"Why the hell would she just leave? She came in with me this morning, so she has no ride."

"Look, just…calm down all right. I can see that you're upset about your little talk with Darius." As Kwest spoke, Tommy took a deep breath and sank down into the empty chair.

"Okay. I'm calm. Now what happened? Is she okay?"

Kwest was clearly reluctant to say anything but he gave in and sat back in his chair, facing Tommy. "I said something that upset her. I asked her over for dinner tonight…without you."

Tommy's brows furrowed. "Cause suddenly I don't eat?"

His friend shook his head. "No. Because she needs to start getting her own life."

"Oh fuck. Not you too? This is goddamn ridiculous! Did you all get together and have a little meeting, plan an intervention?" He stood up and kicked the chair away from him, pacing back and forth in the small space, running agitated hands through his hair.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I just know that your life is about to change. You're not just going to be Tom Quincy, hot-shot producer. You're going to be back in the spot light as a reality TV star and as a musician. This is big. Things are going to change and Jude is going to be left in the dust."

Tommy stopped pacing as he heard the concern in his friends voice. It was a little easier to take it, coming from Kwest, who actually cared about Jude. "That's not going to happen. She's coming along for the ride. I need her there, helping with the album…everything. I'm not going to just push her off to the side. I would never do that to her."

"Not on purpose. But you're going to be surrounded by beautiful women who want to have a relationship with you and they're not going to appreciate Jude's place in your life."

"Spare me the psycho-babble. Just because I'm doing the show, does not mean that I'm suddenly going to be Mr. Relationship. This is purely a stepping stone. I'm not taking it seriously other than as a promotional tool for the new album."

Kwest stood from his chair and faced Tommy. "Fine. Maybe that's the case, but you better be careful. Because if you're not, your relationship with that girl is going to change in a way that neither of you wants and you just might lose her from your life altogether."

Tommy watched him walk away, unsure what to say. How had this all happened? It was just a stupid reality TV show. It wasn't supposed to mess up his life.

He sighed and fell back into his chair. He really didn't care what anyone else said. He wasn't going to hurt Jude. She was too important to him and he for damn sure wasn't about to cut her out of life. No way, no how.

TBC

Songs—"Stupid for You" by Marie Digby and "The Walk" by Imogen Heap

and "Lonely No More" by Rob Thomas


	3. Chapter 3

AN: THANKS FOR ALL the fabulous feedback guys. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story. Hope you like this next part!! I'm almost caught up with posting. I'm writing chapter 5 right now, so hopefully I'll be able to get post through that by this weekend! Thanks again. And if you want to check it out, there's a trailer for the story posted at Youtube. It's by cassy09. She did an awesome job with it.

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_Chapter 3—"Goodnight and Go"_

_Skipping beats, blushing cheeks I am struggling  
Daydreaming, bed scenes in the corner café  
And then I'm left in bits recovering tectonic tremblings  
You get me every time_

_Why d'ya have to be so cute?  
It's impossible to ignore you  
Must you make me laugh so much  
It's bad enough we get along so well  
Say goodnight and go_

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"Walk of shame?" Sadie asked when she caught sight of Jude entering her apartment wearing yesterday's clothes and Tommy's old t-shirt.

"I wish," she grumbled and tossed her backpack on the floor by the sofa where Sadie had made herself at home. Her sister was sipping a diet coke and flipping through the latest issue of Lucky like she owned the place. Jude made herself comfortable next to her. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she slouched into the cushions. The couch wasn't nearly as cushy as Tommy's leather sofa but it was homey and the striped fabric was an interesting contrast with the rest of Jude's mismatched furniture and decorations, all cheap thrift store purchases. The rock band posters that decorated the walls always made Sadie cringe. She was constantly telling Jude that her place looked like a teenager's bedroom. Jude's usually ignored Sadie's criticism. Someday she'd be able to afford a nicer place, maybe even a house that she could decorate like a grown-up. For now, this suited her purpose. She really only spent enough time at the apartment to sleep, at least that had been the pattern lately.

Sadie looked up from the magazine and studied Jude carefully before her expression turned apologetic. "Kwest called me," she admitted. "He feels bad."

Jude shrugged noncommittally. "Whatever. He was just saying what he thought. He's allowed an opinion." His words had affected her more than she wanted to admit and she turned away from Sadie, not wanting her to read that in her expression.

"Even so, he could have been a bit more tactful."

That earned a half smile from Jude. "Yes. He could have, but he's a guy. They don't have that particular filter. It's honestly fine," she assured her. She got up from the couch and made her way into the kitchen, which was nothing more than a square with some cupboards and a breakfast bar, directly adjacent to the living room. The area was wide open, and she could still see Sadie as she made her way to the fridge to retrieve a soda for herself. She hated that Sadie seemed so concerned. She couldn't understand why they couldn't just leave well enough alone without having to have some deep, drawn out, emotional conversation. Jude had already worked it out on the walk home, she didn't want to have to duke it out and talk about 'feelings' with Sadie. And she especially didn't want to defend her choices. Kwest was wrong. She had a perfectly good life, one that did not always revolve around Tom Quincy. It just happened that she and Tommy spent a lot of time together because of work and because she was helping him with his music. That's all. And now that he had this reality show, she'd help with that too. But then…when it was all done she was going to take the initiative and talk to Darius about getting into the studio with her own artists. She had plans and goals for her future. But those couldn't happen until this whole stupid reality show was over though. So she'd have to stick it out. And in the process she could prove to Sadie and Kwest that there was no reason for them or anyone else to be worried about her relationship with Tommy. In fact…it wasn't as cut and dry as they all thought. He might be her best friend, but she had secrets from him…

"So you're okay then?" Sadie still looked concerned as Jude returned to the couch with her drink.

"I know this is weird to everyone, but Tommy is my _friend_. We work together and hang out together. It's not…it's nothing more," she asserted.

Sadie didn't look entirely convinced. "When was the last time you went out with someone other than him?"

That questioned earned a glare. "How is that even relevant?"

Sadie's eyes narrowed. "Just answer the question."

Jude huffed. "Fine. It's been awhile." Probably more than a year since she'd been on a date…even longer since she'd had sex. But she wasn't about to admit that. "Look, it's just that I've been working a lot and with Tommy's new album, he wants my input and it keeps me busy and I'm okay with that. But if it makes you feel any better, once this whole reality show is set, I will take some time and become a lean, mean dating machine. Hell, I'll even double date with Tommy and his new reality whore." It would be fine. Her friendship with Tommy wouldn't change and everyone would be able to see that.

Sadie still looked skeptical and Jude rolled her eyes. "Good god, I didn't realize that my friendship with Tommy bothered you so much."

Immediately Sadie's expression changed. "No. It's not that it bothers us. It's great. You guys are like a-a…" she paused, searching for the right phrase. "Built-in-couple. That's what you are. And I think that…well, Tom's about to spend six weeks in a house of skanks trying to find a new girlfriend and we're freaking out about how that might change things for us," Sadie explained.

Ah. And the truth comes out. She should have known that her sister's concern was really for herself and how Tommy's new girlfriend would affect the friendship she and Kwest had with him. Sadie liked to soak up the leftovers of Tommy's spotlight and had happily done so over the past few years. It wasn't done maliciously, but she liked the illusion of celebrity. She practically orgasmed when she got mentioned in Talk National once as Tom's best friend Kwest's wife. It hadn't even been her name, but she'd talked about it for weeks.

Truthfully, the dynamic between them all would probably change. Ever since Kwest and Sadie started dating, Jude and Tommy had been their tag-a-longs. Occasionally Tommy would have his own date, but it was an unusual occurrence and when it did happen, the date mostly went unnoticed. The only real interruption in the routine the foursome had established had been Jude's brief relationship with Shay, the rapper extraordinaire.

"So what you're really worried about is that you won't get along with his new girlfriend?" Jude was teasing, but knew that it was something her sister was thinking about.

"I'm not that shallow, Jude. I'm worried about you," Sadie's eyes narrowed. "Things are going to be different when he's got to spend all of his time with some other girl."

"He's always had girlfriends and it's never been an issue." Jude was quick to point out. And it hadn't. He'd never really brought those girls around much and any mention of them was always very briefly and in the biblical sense.

"You and I both know that he's never dated anyone seriously. And even if this isn't serious, it's going to have to look serious. I bet you anything that you two aren't going to be able to hang out together as much." She sounded worried as she spoke and that's when Jude had had enough.

"Jesus Christ, Sadie!" Jude exploded, finally beyond the point of mere annoyance. "You act like I'm going to kill myself if that happens. Well, guess what? My life does not revolve around Tom Quincy. I have plenty of things going on, things that _none_ of you know about. And once this is all over, you'll see and realize that you're _wrong_."

Sadie sat, stunned at her sister's outburst. This was clearly a sore subject and maybe she shouldn't have rushed over here when she got Kwest's call, but she had been concerned. She knew that Jude was attached to Tommy. She even understood that they were good friends. But there was something more there. And even though Kwest couldn't see it, it wasn't all just coming from Jude. There were times when she'd see Tommy look at Jude a certain way – a look that seemed reserved for her sister-- and she'd wonder just what he was thinking about. She'd never seen a look of affection like that that wasn't attached to some kind of deeper emotion. But Jude always seemed so oblivious.

"Okay. Well, I'll just leave you alone." Sadie stood up to go. "I didn't mean to piss you off. I just wanted to apologize for my husband's badly worded dinner invite. If you want, you and Tommy are more than welcome to come over to eat with us. If not, that's okay too." Sadie grabbed her purse and coat from the breakfast bar. "Otherwise, I'll talk to you later this week. Maybe we can plan another karaoke night or something."

Jude nodded and watched her sister leave before throwing herself face down on the couch. She grabbed the mismatched cushion and screamed into it, the sound muffled and frustrated. After a minute, she pulled her face up from the pillow and took a deep breath, sucking in oxygen before she burst into laughter. If Sadie wanted to do karaoke she must really feel bad. No one with a voice as bad as her ever did that kind of thing willingly.

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The knocking started shortly after midnight. Incessant and annoying, Jude was unable to ignore it and dragged her weary limbs out of bed and to the door. She had a strong suspicion that she'd find Tommy on the other side of the door, especially after she'd spent the majority of the evening ignoring his calls and deleting messages, trying to prove that she did not need to spend all of her time with him. She'd probably gone too far in the opposite direction. Sometimes a person couldn't just go cold turkey; they had to wean themselves off an addiction, slowly. That's probably what she needed to do in this situation—more for Tommy's sake than her own. He'd never understand if she suddenly cut herself out of his life. But if the change were gradual, maybe he'd barely notice –as much as the possibility hurt—he'd have his own publicity filled relationship to worry about soon enough. And she'd be able to move forward with her own music projects, maybe finally take that trip to visit Jamie in New York, or even look for a new job if Darius wasn't willing to give her a solo shot at producing.

"All right, Quincy. Cool it!" she yelled as she opened the door. His fisted hand paused mid-knock and he offered her that boyish, innocent grin he'd perfected oh-so-long ago.

"You're phone isn't working," he told her as he moved passed her into the apartment.

Jude sighed and brushed her hair back behind her ears, shutting the door and following him. "No…it's working," she admitted.

He stopped walking and turned around to frown at her. "So you were ignoring me?" He asked, the look on his face made it clear that the idea was completely unfathomable to him. She never ignored him. Not ever.

She crossed her arms defensively over her chest and tilted her chin up. "Actually, yes. I need some space. You're smothering me." The words were grumpy and bitchy and she had to look away to even finish saying them.

His frown deepened, the corners of his mouth creasing unhappily. "Is this about what Kwest said to you?"

Jude's mouth dropped open and her face flamed with embarrassment. "He told you?"

Tommy nodded. "I was looking for you and worried that you just disappeared."

She turned away and sat down on the edge of the coffee table, not wanting to look at him, to see that 'aw Jude, you crazy kid,' expression on his face.

He sat down across from her on the edge of the couch. "Jude, what do you care what Kwest thinks?"

She shrugged, her shoulders slumping. It was no use, she usually told Tommy everything, or almost everything and it had taken a lot out of her to spend the evening ignoring him. "It's just…well, if he thinks I hang on you like some kind of groupie, what must everyone else think? That I'm just another Tommy Q attention whore?"

Tommy looked surprised. "Since when do you give a shit about what everyone else thinks? Seriously, if we want to spend time together, we will. _We_ get to decide, not anyone else." He was still smarting from Darius' earlier command and he didn't like that anyone thought his relationship with Jude was up for scrutiny or discussion. He especially didn't like the way Jude was responding. They'd both taken plenty of ribbing over the years, but he'd never seen it affect her before, not to the point where she was purposely ignoring his calls. He could actually see her putting up a wall, distancing herself from him physically and emotionally and he hated it. She was the closest thing he had to family and the idea of her not being there…that just wasn't an option. Instinctively he reached out for her, taking her hand in two of his, holding it even when she tried to pull away.

"You'd tell me if something else was going on, right? If there was something else bothering you?" He asked the question, trying to get her to look at him so that he could see her eyes. He'd always been able to figure out what she was feeling just by looking at her eyes, she gave everything away there.

She hesitated and his hold on her hand tightened.

Finally she offered him a weak smile. "There's nothing else…it's just, well, Kwest isn't the only one to say something. Darius has not so subtly hinted some disapproval at our friendship in the past and I don't want to cause problems for you. This is your big break and I don't want to get in the way."

He stiffened. "Did Darius call you? Did he say something?" He was going to be pissed if Darius had gone behind his back to confront Jude. But she shook her head and before she could ask any questions he spoke up. "Jude, you could never be in the way. I'll tell you what I've told both Darius and Kwest. I need you by my side; I couldn't get along without you in the studio or outside of it. All of the music I write and produce is just better with you. We're a team."

His imploring gaze weakened her resolve and she bit her lip. "I love working with you, I love 'Team Us'. I don't want to break that up." She genuinely didn't, but deep down she knew that it was inevitable. Tommy had good intentions and she knew that he cared about her, but she'd long ago squashed any hope that that caring might turn into something of the lust and romance variety. And once the reality of twenty women, all vying for his attention set in, there would definitely be a change in their relationship. He was deluding himself, but she didn't have it in her to contradict him just then. He would see for himself how things changed and by that time she'd have her own life situated, but until then, she'd go with the flow, let him believe that things were always going to be the same, because maybe she needed to pretend too, just for a little while longer.

She offered him a brighter smile and his whole body relaxed before he pulled her forward into a tight hug. "I really need you, Jude," he told her, looking down into her face. "I don't think I'll survive this insanity if you aren't there to put me in my place," he admitted with a rakish, hopeful smile, too charming for any female to resist.

God, why did have to be so cute?

She shoved at his chest playfully, pushing him away. "I see how it is…just using me."

"Of course," he teased back. "It's all you're good for."

She rolled her eyes and he pulled her back against his chest, unwilling to let her go just yet. He reached out for the remote and turned the TV on, anchoring her to his side. There wasn't anything he wanted to watch, but he needed the excuse to stay like that, just for a little bit longer. There had been a few moments where he'd seen her withdrawal, her eyes had closed off and his world had eerily shifted, knocking him off balance in a way that made it hard to breathe. He wasn't lying when he said he needed her. They'd been working together for so long, that everything just seemed better when she was there. He wasn't sure he'd know how to function if she wasn't and he didn't want to think about the possibility.

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

"Jude!" Darius voice boomed from behind and Jude jumped, almost spilling the mug of tea she was carrying toward studio A. She'd been looking for some coffee, but the only thing left was the swill Kwest had made three hours earlier and so she'd opted for something she could make herself. Although she'd probably have to break down and go for the diet coke later. Realistically a caffeine drip, connected right to her veins would be good. She was actually exhausted, had been at the studio late the night before, helping Tommy record and then been coerced into coming in early. Speiderman Mind Explosion, or SME for short, was booked to work with Kwest all afternoon. The band members were all friends of Jude's from high school, discovered by Jamie who had practically pushed them on Darius until he'd signed them. Now they had a double platinum album under their belt and were in the process of working on the next. They were Jude's excuse for being there, but not the real reason. Tommy had actually sent her to the studio to spy on the casting call and if she hid out in the studio during the band's session she had a pretty good view of all the girls waiting for their turn to interview.

She turned in the direction of Big D's voice and raised her eyebrows expectantly, her most innocent expression in place. "Darius! Did you need something?"

Darius' bald head gleamed under the fluorescent lights and his brow furrowed. "What are you doing here today? Tom's not working."

She offered up a fake smile. "I know that. I'm here to sit in on the SME session with Kwest."

The crease in Darius' brow became the Grand Canyon and Jude bit down on her lip in nervousness. "Nice story, Harrison. What's the real reason?"

"Tommy sent me to look out for his interests. He's afraid that the producer's idea of a match and his are different things."

"And how do you plan to do this from inside Studio A?"

Jude frowned. That was an excellent question. And she didn't have an answer. "Uhm…I honestly don't know. I just know that I could eliminate seventy-five percent of the girl's standing in the line just by looking at them and knowing his preferences. And then from there, I'd keep about five percent of the eliminated ones because he actually needs a little diversity in his life…Maybe a smart girl who doesn't rely on her breast to make things happen."

Darius looked thoughtful and stood there a moment, studying her. "I think I have an idea…" He started to walk away and then stopped to look at Jude questioningly. "You coming? We got to get this thing started…"

And that's how Jude found herself squashed against the soundboard in studio C. They were bringing the girls into the sound booth in groups of 5. Jude was hidden in the back and as per Darius' instructions, was supposed to veto anybody that Tommy would absolutely hate. All she could think was that she was going to kill Tommy when she had the chance.

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"Dude, why are you doing this again?" Vincent Speiderman, also known as Speid to his closest friends, was dogging Tommy's steps as they made their way into yet another women's clothing store in the mall. Jude was currently stuck at the casting session, ready to die from boredom and insanity—according to her text messages. Speiderman had shown up at Tommy's apartment after their studio session to drop off a copy of their new track and got himself roped into the shopping excursion.

"Because Jude's been really supportive and helpful through the craziness of all this reality show shit and I want to buy her a present as a token of my appreciation." He paused and held up a bright pink sweater. "What about this?"

Speid's wince was response enough and they moved on.

"Why are you buying her clothes? It's kinda…impersonal and Dude can dress herself." As they walked through the store, girls giggled when they got near, but neither guy noticed, it was something they were used to. Speid's fingers trailed over the racks and displays they passed, touching everything, messing up the orderly stacks.

Tommy shrugged and stopped at a rack full of t-shirts with inappropriate sayings on them, but quickly dismissed them. Jude already had several drawers full of those; he didn't need or want to add to that collection. "Yeah, well, sometimes I think she could use a little help in the clothing department. And don't call her 'Dude', she hates that."

Speid ignored his scolding. "Doesn't she help you shop for your clothes? Her taste can't be that bad." When Tommy didn't take the bait, Speid continued, more serious. "Why don't you get her something a little more personal? What does she like?"

That caught Tommy's attention and he stared at Speid thoughtfully. That was actually a decent idea. Sometimes the boy wasn't as useless as everyone thought. "I know that journal she's always writing in is almost full. I could get her a new one?"

Speid nodded and grinned. "Now you're talking. Girls really like that thoughtful shit, Quincy."

They made their way out of the clothing store to inside the mall as Tommy steered them in the direction of the bookstore. Speid kept up, grinning like a fool as he glanced sideways at Tommy. "You know if you really wanted to get her something she'd like…"

Tommy looked at him from the corner of his eyes. Okay…he'd bite. Speid had already had one good idea, hearing another wouldn't hurt. "I'm all ears."

"Okay, so take Dude…I mean Jude to a nice dinner, buy her flowers, wine and dine her…the works. And then afterwards, use your considerable charm to…"

Tommy's ears perked up, waiting for the last part of Speid's suggestion. The kid definitely seemed to understand the whole charming a woman thing.

"…strip her down, naked as the day she was born and have your way with her. Preferably until she's unable to walk."

Tommy almost tripped over his own feet. "What?" Unbidden, a picture of a very naked Jude spread out on silk sheets…his silk sheets, filled his mind. Just as unwelcome as the vision was his immediate physical reaction to it. His dick was hard as a fucking fire poker. He was in a near panic trying to dislodge the picture from his mind.

Speid was grinning stupidly next to him and Tommy's jaw clenched as it occurred to him that the overgrown adolescent was probably picturing Jude naked as well. He reached his hand out and slapped him up the backside of his head, startling him from his daydream. The last thing he wanted was Vin Speiderman thinking about Jude like that, especially not after the fiasco of Jude's relationship with the guitarist. It had lasted exactly long enough for one date, plenty of time for them to end up in Talk National. Speid had been caught, drunk with his pants down and Jude had, unfortunately, been along for the ride. Tommy had been so pissed that he'd tried to forbid Jude to see Speid anymore. Of course that had pissed her off so much that she didn't speak to anyone but Speid for a whole week, just to make Tommy angry. He'd eventually apologized, as had Speid and they were all friends now, despite Speid's persistent and not-so-secret crush on Jude.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Tommy bit out angrily. Although he wasn't exactly sure what he was upset about. Speid had a habit of saying inappropriate things, so it shouldn't be a surprise.

Speid smirked knowingly and then offered a faux innocent grin. "Just an idea. I think you could both benefit from a little mutual horizontal action." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, using his hips to mimic the thrusting action.

Tommy jerked on Speid's shirt sleeve, pulling him along and into the bookstore. "Man, she's like a sister to me," he started. The sentence stopped there. Even as he spoke, the words seemed hollow and wrong. Jude was not his kid sister, never had been, never would be.

_Shit_…

Now he wasn't going to be able to look at her without picturing her naked.

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"Hey!" Jude called out as she let herself into Tommy's apartment with the spare key. "I'm here!" She'd just gotten thrown out of the casting session by Darius. Apparently when he'd said she could object to any girls she thought were wrong for Tommy, he had really only meant she could sit there and be quiet, because every single time she'd objected, she'd been ignored. Her input had only been welcome when the casting director was on the fence about someone. After hours of sitting there, listening to all of the high pitched laughing and the obviously made up stories she'd decided no longer cared what happened. At one point she'd actually wanted to gouge her eyes out with the plastic fork she'd used to eat her lunch. Her brain was numb. She hadn't thought that many stupid girls existed in the world, but they did, and they all wanted to get it on with Little Tommy Q.

She could hear voices and loud music in the living room and tossed her backpack on the floor by the entryway before moving to investigate.

What she found was her worst nightmare come to life. A group of overgrown children, all starting at the TV, engrossed in…Guitar Hero. Good Christ…how lame. Each member of SME-- Speid, Kyle and Wally—were gathered around, cheering and booing Tommy as he took his turn with the 'guitar'.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked out loud. "This is what you've been doing all afternoon?"

Tommy barely glanced in her direction. "Hold on, Red. I'm about to kick all their asses." His eyes stayed glued to the TV, fingers clicking away

"Nuh uh," she huffed. "No. I'm leaving. I've had a terrible day. I wasted eight hours of my life, time that I will never get back, trying to find you a wife and right now I just can't deal with any more _children_." She emphasized the last word as she glared at them, arms folded across her chest.

Tommy messed up then and scowled. If he told her to be quiet she was going to break that plastic piece of shit over his head and leave him to bleed to death. But he said nothing and focused his attention on the game. Speid abandoned his post next to Tommy and walked over to Jude, wrapping his arm around her, giving her a squeeze. Jude appreciated his weak attempt to comfort her, but it was short lived. Tom caught the gesture in his peripheral vision and just that quickly the game was over. He thrust the guitar at Wally and yelled at Speid.

"Hey! What happed to that rule where you're supposed to stay at least five feet away from Jude at _all_ times?" he growled.

Speid's arm dropped and he stepped away, looking a little afraid for his life. Tommy stepped up to take his place next to Jude but she was glaring and used both hands to shove him away.  
Startled, Tommy took a step back, frowning and rubbing the spot where she'd pushed. Damn, she hit hard sometimes.

"You're all such, such….Fuckwads! I don't know why I hang out with you," she fumed.

His frowned deepened as he realized just how crabby Jude was. His first instinct was to try to tease her out of it. "Your mother would be ashamed to hear you talk like that. Where did you ever learn such foul language?" He mocked.

The corner of her mouth twitched and she tried to hold back a smile. Her arms were still crossed over her chest, but she straightened slightly, her shoulders squaring. "When I was fifteen, one of the first things I ever heard you say was that a girl named Sarah had a mouth like a Hoover vacuum and she 'sucked you dry'. If I was naïve about anything before that day, you certainly cured me of it that summer. In fact I think your favorite word was pussy."

Tommy's cheeks flushed and he leaned against the back of the couch. "I'm actually embarrassed that I talked that way in front of a fifteen year old."

That earned a full-blown smile. "Just think of it this way…you totally popped my cherry when it came to talking dirty."

He was assaulted with a vision of Jude spread out on his silk sheets and thoughts of dirty talk and Speid's idea from earlier filled his head. Oh. Dear. God. The intensity of his reaction was the equivalent of a sucker punch, right to the gut and he briefly gave thanks that he'd left his shirt un-tucked. If he hadn't, she'd be getting one hell of a show.

"Ooh…Quincy, did that just excite you," Jude teased, seeing the look on his face. It was a cross between uncomfortable and turned on and she felt her insides twitch in response. He didn't immediately answer and she let out an amused giggle. She loved embarrassing him. It didn't happen often, especially because he was one of those people that had pretty much seen and done it all, which was why she relished these little moments.

"Oooh…Dude and Squinty are talking dirty to each other," Wally teased from the other side of the couch. Another round of ooohs and wolf whistles followed from Kyle and Speid.

Jude rolled her eyes. "Whatever, retards." She glanced back at Tommy, who seemed to have recovered from his embarrassment and was casually leaning back, hands in his pockets, feet crossed at the ankles. "Is this really all you're going to do for the rest of the day?"

"No. I've got tickets for us to go see Chris Brown tonight at The Chrome Cat. Sadie and Kwest are coming with," Tommy informed her.

Jude's face lit up. "Seriously? That show was sold out weeks ago. How'd you score those?"

Tommy shrugged. "I know a guy."

She smacked his chest and he rolled his eyes. "Jude, we helped produce one of his songs. Do you honestly think they wouldn't give us tickets?"

"All I did was sit there and look pretty," she smiled beatifically, batting her eyelashes.

Tommy frowned. "You're not allowed to flirt with him tonight. He's too young for you."

Jude laughed. "You're so weird sometimes. What time is the concert?"

He didn't immediately answer and she realized he was pouting. "Oh. Stop it. Tell me what time, so I can go home and get ready."

"I'm serious, Jude. We're going to network, not for you to flirt or score dates."

Okay, so now he was pissing her off. Not once had she ever tried to 'score a date' while they were working, including the times when they were at clubs. Tommy was always getting phone numbers, wherever they went. He was such a fucking hypocrite sometimes. "Whatever. Just call when you're on your way to get me." She turned to leave. She wasn't going to stand there and listen to yet another Quincy lecture on appropriate work behavior and why she had bad taste in men. She was not in the mood. Not when she'd tortured herself trying to help him all day. Stupid prick.

Warm, callused, fingers wrapped around her upper arm, stopping her. "Don't leave mad," he cajoled.

Her lower lip pushed out as he pulled her around to face him. "Stop pissing me off so much." Now she was pouting

He shrugged and smiled down at her, his hand was still wrapped around her upper arm, thumb rubbing the skin just below where her sleeve ended. "I just worry about you."

"I'm a big girl, Quincy. You don't need to worry."

His expression changed at her words, his eyes intense and unreadable and--not for the first time-- she wished she could read his mind. If she could have she would have heard him thinking about Kwest's words, Darius' too, both telling him to back off from Jude. Her saying not to worry was essentially the same thing and it bothered him. He didn't like it.

"The show starts at nine. I'll swing by at seven to get you so we can grab dinner first."

"You're treat?"

"Why do I always have to treat?"

"Because you make more money than me." He knew exactly how much money she made and couldn't argue with that.

"Fine. One day you're going to have to pay me back though. I usually expect sex when I buy a girl dinner," he joked. It would have been funny if his mind wasn't assailed with yet another vision of Jude…naked…writhing on his bed, moaning. Head thrown back while his mouth was trailing hot kisses down her sweat slick body and…

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Tommy shook his head as if to clear the image and his eyes focused on Jude staring up at him curiously. "I'm not looking at you like anything," he blurted out quickly and let go of her arm. He was going to kill Speid. Stupid little fucker. He'd pound him into the floor for starting that shit about Jude.

Jude flinched at his words. She knew he didn't mean them the way they'd come out, but it just served as a reminder that it didn't matter how many times he touched her, or said suggestive things or looked at her that special way he looked at her sometimes—it didn't mean anything. _Friends, Jude. Friends._ She didn't know why she was so uptight around him. It had to be the added pressure of the reality show. That was her only explanation, because her world combined with Tommy's hadn't seemed off kilter until this had suddenly become the focal point of their lives.

"All right," she said cheerfully. "I'm leaving. I've got to make myself look fuckable." She said it to piss him off and grinned when she got the desired reaction, quickly turning to make her exit.

"Jude!" Tommy called out after her.

Ignoring him, she grabbed her bag from the entryway and kept walking until he called after her again. "Ugh! What now, Quincy?" She twirled around to face him, glaring impatiently. From the corner of her eye she could see SME watching the scene intently, like they were waiting for a showdown.

Tommy smiled innocently, still in that same relaxed position, and turned his cheek, using his index finger to point out a spot. "You forgot something."

She stared for a moment, knowing exactly what he was asking. Then, voice flat, she said, "Speid, Tommy wants a kiss."

The guitarist vaulted over the side of the couch making kissy noises as he approached Tommy, who shoved him away with little effort. "Sorry, Jude. Only your petal soft pucker will do," he batted his eyelashes flirtatiously while holding Speid off with one hand.

Not thinking it through, Jude grabbed the first thing she could find and lobbed it at Tommy's head before storming out. He was such an ass sometimes.

The guys couldn't stop laughing at Tommy's stunned expression. He had barely ducked in time, so surprised that she'd actually thrown something at him. Although, honestly, that wasn't the first time it had happened. "What the hell did I do to deserve that?" He'd caught the object and started down at the expertly wrapped package. She'd picked her gift up from the entryway table and thrown in at his head.

Speid shrugged. "She's a woman. You don't have to do anything."

"Yeah. It's probably PMS," Kyle chimed in.

They heard the door slam then and Kyle's eyes got big, panic stealing over his features. "Do you think she heard me say that?" he whispered.

Now it was Tommy's turn to laugh. Guess he wasn't the only one Jude scared the hell out of.

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"Ugh…What is with those two?" Sadie rubbed her temples and took another large swig of her husband's beer. She wasn't a big drinker, and had already had several glasses of wine at dinner, but for the last two hours she and Kwest had been listening to Tommy and Jude bitch at each other and the longer it continued, the more drinking seemed like a good idea. Even the club hadn't tempered their moods. It wasn't that the bickering was usual, it was just that for some reason it was particularly vicious. Usually they kissed and made up pretty quickly, but that was not the case that evening.

Kwest took the bottle back from her and finished it off as they watched Tommy and Jude arguing at the bar. Tom was supposed to be buying the second round of drinks, but he'd made a comment about Jude being a mooch that had pissed her off and she'd hauled ass over to the bar to buy the round before he could. He'd immediately gone after her and left Kwest and Sadie behind.

"We should soak up this alone time. It might be the only peace and quiet we get all night," Kwest commented.

Sadie shook her head in disbelief. "I've never seen them antagonize each other like this before," she observed. They were both hot heads and they did plenty of fighting, but this was too much, even for them, especially in a public place. The bartender was standing in front of the dueling duo waiting to take their drink order, but they weren't paying attention to anyone but each other. Jude was poking Tommy in the chest, her lips moving rapidly. He winced, although Sadie couldn't tell if it was from the poking or from Jude's words. Knowing Jude, it was probably both.

Kwest sighed, the sound muted by the club's music. "I blame myself," he confessed to his wife. "I should have kept my mouth shut and let them float on, blissfully delusional. Instead, he's freaked out, going overboard and telling Jude that he needs her for everything, making her help with all the prep work for the show and with his album. Of course she can't ever tell him no and now she's exhausted." He glanced guiltily at Sadie, who reached out and rubbed his leg conciliatorily. "She was at the studio until two am helping him record and then he sent her in early to spy on the casting today, which she ended up having to sit in on." He smiled then, mood lightening. "Although, a little birdie told me that Jude gave all the girls hell. Apparently there were a couple hundred girls there and Jude only liked four of them. Can you believe that? Four. Out of over two hundred. And the kicker is…they totally gave into her. I guess it pissed off the casting director but Darius explained that having Jude there was like having the female version of Tom in the room."

Sadie winced. "Tell me Jude didn't hear that." No wonder her sister looked mad at the world. She was overworked and underappreciated.

"I don't think so." He would have gone on, but a very pissed off Tom Quincy was fast approaching the table.

"Fucking, stubborn…" he was muttering as he threw himself into his chair, jostling the whole table.

Kwest smirked. "Lost that one, eh?"

Tom glared at his friend, but his real frustration was centered on the redhead at the bar. "I don't see why she has to act like that," he bit out. "I was going to pay for the fucking drinks."

Sadie narrowed her eyes. She usually stayed out of Tommy and Jude's little spats, but she felt the need to stand up for her sister, especially when Tommy was being such an idiot. "You called her a mooch. Which is actually pretty rude considering she barely got any sleep after helping you record and then spying on the casting session today- at your request. I think I'd get mad at you too."

Well, that knocked the wind right out of his sails.

Shit.

He was an ass.

But he had to protest that it wasn't entirely his fault. He'd been on edge most of the afternoon because of Speid's dumbass comments. He probably would have been fine except Jude had done exactly what she'd said and gone home to make herself look 'fuckable'. He'd gone to pick her up and she'd been wearing a pair of jeans that were so tight they looked painted on, along with some tank top thing that looked like a cut up t-shirt. Sadie had gushed over the damn thing when she saw it and they'd gabbed about 'up-cycled' clothes being the latest 'green' trend. He didn't know what the hell that meant, except that it was too damn cold out to be wearing a tank top like that.

So he'd been on edge, which had put Jude even more on edge and they'd snipped and spat at each other all through dinner. Everything each of them did got on the other's nerves. Jude had taken forever to order, had changed her mind several times before settling on the most expensive item. Tommy had told her she wouldn't like it but she'd told him to fuck off because she was trying something new. Of course she hated the food and wasted the dinner, refusing to it. He'd been so annoyed that when they got to the club that -when it was time for more drinks- he'd snarked about her being a mooch. Which was actually about the furthest from the truth he could get. If anything, he probably owed her.

He attempted to put his bad mood and behavior behind him as Jude approached the table, three drinks balanced in her hands. She smiled at Kwest and Sadie, handing her brother-in-law his beer and Sadie her diet coke before sitting down with her own drink.

"Where's mine?" He regretted the words as soon as they slipped out and prepared to get an earful. But she didn't even look in his direction when she spoke. Her words were cheerful enough, but the message contradictory. "Get your own fucking drink."

Okay. He probably deserved that.

For a second, he contemplated his next move. He could apologize first or got get his drink - take a moment to think before he spoke- and then come back and apologize. Before he could decide, a waitress approached their table with a bottle of Dos Equis. He glanced over at Jude questioningly but she quickly turned her head away, sipping her drink at starring at the stage like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Jude…"

"What?" came her exasperated reply. "I couldn't carry all three drinks and they had to go get your fancy-ass beer from the back," she huffed out.

Tommy reached over and pulled her chair closer to his. He bent his head, bringing his lips to her ear. "I'm sorry for being such a prick," he offered sincerely.

She was biting her lip, trying to keep from smiling, he could tell. Her mouth straightened into a thin line. "Is that all?"

"There's more?" He knew there was probably a whole list of crimes, but he'd never been good with specifics, so he'd gone for the generalized apology and figured calling himself a prick would cover everything.

Her mouth tilted up in a half smile. "Yes. You forgot the part about me being the greatest. I rule. You drool."

His eyes narrowed. "Don't push it."

Her smiled spread and she laughed then. The tension that had formed a bubble around them earlier, popped, relieving the entire table of people.

Tommy leaned back in his chair and rested his arm around Jude's shoulders, happy that the evening had been salvaged. He ignored the strange looks from Kwest and Sadie as Jude relaxed against his arm.

"So…what's the latest on the show? You decide on a name yet?" Kwest asked curiously.

"The producer's all like different things," Tommy explained. "And of course, Darius has his own ideas. He thinks the show's name should come from an old Boyz Attack song." He shuddered as the possibilities came to mind.

Of course Jude immediately picked up on that and the opportunity to tease Tommy about his boyband days. She could never pass up the chance to do that. "Aw…It could be called_ 'Picking up the Pieces of Little Tommy Q's Heart'._" Her smiled widened and Tommy knew he wasn't going to like what came out of her mouth next. "And then, when you're picking and choosing your hoes, you can look them in the eye and say '_Will you put me back together again_?'"

Sadie and Kwest both burst out laughing. It was completely ridiculous and Tommy took a deep pull of his beer to cover up his own chuckle. "That's not the worst idea I've heard," he told them when their laughter died down.

Jude scooted closer to him, turning her body to face him. "Oooh, tell me more," she demanded, clearly excited, but only because it was all fodder for mockery and teasing at Tommy's expense.

He sighed, but gave in. "Well, there's _'Little Tommy Q is 30 and Single'_ and _'Shape of My Heart'_."

"Those kind of suck," Kwest pointed out unnecessarily as Jude and Sadie nodded their agreement.

"And isn't _'Shape of My Heart'_ a Backstreet Boys song?" Sadie wondered out loud.

Jude almost spit out her drink and Tommy patted her roughly on the back as she coughed. "I think they think that all the boy bands are interchangeable. Obviously it's a lot harder than anyone thought to sum up this show with a name."

"How's about _'Playa of Love'_," Sadie suggested.

"That fits," Kwest snorted. "You've certainly done enough of that."

Jude's coughing fit ended and she took another drink, clearing her throat. "No. How about, '_I'm A Big Pussy and Can't Tell My Boss No, So He's Making Me Do This Dumb Reality Show_," she tossed out. "I think I like that one best. It even rhymes."

Tommy reached under the table and pinched her thigh. She jumped at the contact. "Ouch, you bastard. That hurt."

He looked at her solemnly, mocking, "So do your words, Jude."

She opened her mouth to say something else, but he pressed a finger to her lips to shush her before she could respond.

"_These words are razors to my wounded heart_," he gave her his best puppy-dog face and she frowned, narrowing her eyes as she looked at him suspiciously.

"I thought you said you were stupid. Since when do you quote Shakespeare, Quincy?"

Kwest, who had been taking a sip of his drink, gurgled in surprise, practically spitting beer all over the table. "Shakespeare?"

Tommy smirked and sat back in his chair, taking another sip of his beer. "Jude left one of her sissy books at my place and I needed something to read in the bathroom."

"You must have been in there awhile if you were able to memorize that," Kwest joked.

Jude sputtered with amusement. "I don't think I want that book back."

Before the conversation could go any further, the club lights went down and the stage lit up. The foursome was seated at G-Major's V.I.P. table and had a great view of the stage. Tommy had scored the tickets off Darius, telling him he was going to attempt to sweet talk Chris Brown into making an appearance on the show. Tommy knew it was a long shot and wasn't holding his breath, but it was worth it to ask when he knew how much Jude enjoyed watching Chris perform. They'd all gotten along really well when they'd been recording his song and if the studio experience went well it made seeing the song you helped create come to life on stage a hell of a lot more exciting. He loved seeing Jude's face light up when that happened. She looked like a little kid at Christmas, eager, excited, thrilled and awed.

They all eagerly listened to the set, enjoying the performance. Tommy got them another round of drinks and a few shots for him and Jude. People were up and dancing on the main floor in front of the stage. Kwest and Sadie made their way onto the dance floor, leaving Tommy and Jude alone, their earlier disagreement long forgotten as they enjoyed the show.

His arm was still around the back of her chair and she'd had enough to drink to let go of everything she'd been holding onto and worrying about for the past few weeks. They were together and having fun and the rest of it just didn't matter.

The opening notes of the next song filled the club and Tommy stood, offering his hand to Jude. "I believe they're playing our song. Care to take a whirl?"

Jude eyed his hand skeptically. "Uhm…remember that time I burnt your really expensive frying pan and set off the fire sprinklers?"

He nodded impatiently.

"Yeah, well, I dance worse than I cook, Quincy."

That earned a smile from him as he pulled her up from her seat anyway. "Jude, I spent my teenage years as a professional ass shaker. I think I could even make _you_ look good out there." She giggled as an image of him from his Boyz Attack days filled her mind. He didn't give her time to focus on the flashback for too long as he dragged her toward the dancing crowd, swaying to the song he and Jude had both had a hand in producing. "Just follow my lead," he ordered and took her right hand in his, putting his left hand on her waist. "And if all else fails, you can stand on my toes." He winked at the last part and before she could take her next breath, he spun her around, forcing her to follow his lead or trip over her feet.

Tommy sang along with the words, making Jude smile. This was absolutely her favorite song. She'd loved every part of helping produce it. Not only had Chris been great but she and Tommy had just clicked making the entire collaboration incredible. And truthfully, she just plain liked the song. There was no deep meaning. It just laid it out there. The guy liked the girl and wasn't afraid to say it. And she liked the sentiment that _'hearts all over the world'_ could feel the same thing. It made her think that maybe love was out there for her somewhere. She sighed and relaxed into Tommy's arms.

From her peripheral vision she caught sight of Sadie and Kwest. They were dancing, laughing, smiling at each other. Her sister leaned up and kissed her husband. They were what the song was talking about, those hearts all over the world…Gah, she was being weird and sentimental. She'd just have to blame it on the booze.

"Hey, where'd you go?" Tommy asked, forcing her out of her thoughts. She looked up at him as he danced them through the throng of people.

"Just thinking." She shrugged it off.

"Come on, you're being too quiet. It must be important."

Her eyes drifted back over to Sadie and Kwest and she sighed before looking back at Tommy. "Sometimes I just wish I could find what they have, you know?" She nodded toward the happy couple and Tommy glanced their way in time to see them dancing closer than the song required, Sadie's around her husband's neck, his nose nuzzling her cheek. He looked back at Jude and was surprised by her wistful expression.

He could have tossed off a joke, maybe teased her a little, but the longing he saw in her eyes stopped the words in his throat. Instead he just pulled her closer and brought his lips to her ear. "Don't worry, Big Eyes. You'll find that soon enough." The words felt hollow. A reassurance that he didn't want to give, because just then he didn't want to imagine Jude in some other guy's arms, him nuzzling her neck or saying sweet things to her.

The smile she'd been flashing earlier was gone. He pulled back and looked at her. "Come on…cheer up. You know you love this song." He released his hold on her enough to spin her out. Jude let out a startled laugh and then let him twirl her back in before he grabbed her waist and dipped her gently.

Across the room, Sadie's gaze landed on her sister and she sighed.

"Stop looking at them," Kwest commanded, tilting his wife's chin back toward him.

"I can't help it."

"It doesn't matter how much you look, we'll never understand what's going on with those two," he told her.

"But look at them…." Sadie maneuvered Kwest so that they could watch Tommy and Jude as they danced. Tommy had just pulled Jude up from a dip and her sister was laughing, her eyes bright and shining. And Tommy was smiling at her; the look so adoring anyone would think there was something more going on with them. "A guy doesn't look at a girl like that and not feel something," Sadie insisted.

"I don't know what to say…"

"Do you think they'll ever figure it out?" she wondered. More than anything she wanted Jude to be happy and she was afraid that her sister was too stubborn and afraid to go after what she really wanted.

"I don't know. But maybe this show is what they both need to make it happen. It might be a defining moment. Sink or swim."

"It's the sinking part I'm afraid of," Sadie admitted softly. When it was all said and done, nothing was going to be the same and she wasn't entirely convinced that the Jude she knew and loved would be able to resurface.

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TBC…

Diclaimers: I don't own Chris Brown or his song "With You". Other song is "Goodnight and Go" by Imogent Heap.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: You guys are great. Thanks for all the awesome feedback. Here's chapter 4. It's probably my favorite chapter since I've been writing this story. Although I have to admit that anything that happens with this Tommy and Jude is fun to write. Anyway, I'm still working on chapter 5. Hopefully it will be done this weekend. But until then...here's this next part. Let me know what you think!!

_ Chapter 4- **Feelings Show **_

_What I'm trying to say is that_

_I'm feeling a change and_

_I'll let it take all over_

_If you need time away_

_I won't ask you to stay_

_But I don't want to lose you_

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Tommy held the coffee cup in front of Jude's face, letting the aroma of French vanilla roast waft beneath her nose or at least in her general direction, stirring her senses in an effort to wake her. Only a small part of her face was visible as she burrowed beneath a thick comforter and a mountain of pillows. She was breathing deeply but the minute the scent of the coffee reached her, the pattern changed and she began to stir. The eye that wasn't squished against a pillow popped open briefly, squinting before closing again. A hand shot out from beneath the covers, fingers curling in a 'gimme' gesture.

"Nuh uh…no coffee until you get up," he told her cheerily and set the cup down on her nightstand, just out of reach.

A loud groan was her response, but instead of getting up, she burrowed further into her little fort, deciding sleep was more important than caffeine.

Tommy watched the scene with amusement, taking a sip from his own Styrofoam container. "I guess I'll just go pour this down the drain since you don't want it." He didn't move and choked back a laugh when she offered up a weak grunt of protest.

"Come on, lazy ass. Get up." He nudged her with his free hand, but she still wouldn't budge and at this point it was more out of stubbornness than anything else, he was sure. "Jude, I'm gonna count to three and them I'm going to pull your covers off," he threatened.

"One…"

"No!" Her head popped up, tangled strands of her bright red hair covered half her face. "I'm naked," she protested.

"So?" He paused, pondering thoughts of a naked Jude. If she really thought that would stop him, she didn't know him that well, especially after the scene Speid had planted in his head. Ever since, he'd been wondering just how close his unsolicited fantasy came to reality.

"Two…"

"And I haven't shaved my legs," she brushed her hair out of her face. "They're like their own little forest. Don't do it…" she clutched the covers but Tommy now saw this as a personal challenge and stalked to the end of the bed to grab hold of the bottom edge of the comforter.

"Three…" His eyes glittered with amusement and anticipation as he yanked the covers away, eager to see if she'd been telling the truth.

His face fell.

"You lied. You're wearing clothes." His voice was accusing, his frown reflecting his mild disappointment. "And isn't that my shirt?" It looked like his old baseball jersey from jr. high, before he'd gotten thrown out, of course. He studied her, eyes traveling the length of smooth legs partially covered by thick athletic socks pulled up to the knees. "And you're legs aren't hairy."

She fell back against the mattress and pulled a pillow over her head, mumbling into it until he reached across the bed and yanked it away.

"I didn't think you'd really steal my covers." Her lip plumped out into a pout, a look that he was entirely too familiar with and always left him with the urge to lean forward and bite…

He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. "Have you not met me? You practically dared me to do it." His tone was teasing and he reached out to take hold of both arms, pulling her forcibly out of the bed. She was like dead weight, making no effort to help him.

"Why are you doing this?" she whined. "It's my day off."

"It's our last whole day to ourselves," he explained, helping her stand and putting the coffee cup securely in her hands. She inhaled deeply, eyes closed as the Styrofoam cup of morning delight warmed her hands. As soon as she took a drink, her eyes opened, bright and clear. Tommy reached out and brushed her hair away from her face, pausing to flick her nose affectionately.

"So, I'm assuming you have something special planned or you wouldn't have dragged me out of bed."

He offered a playful shrug. "I was kind of hoping _you_ would entertain _me_."

"What if I had other plans? Did you think about that?" Even though the coffee had gone a long way to increasing her alertness, she was still tired and backed up to sit down on the edge of her bed. Her morning haziness left her unaware of her t-shirt bunching up around her thighs and she didn't see Tommy's dark eyed response as he noticed. After a moment, Jude's eyes focused and she finally realized Tommy was giving her the _look_- the one that could convince her to do anything he wanted even as she secretly hoped it was something dirty…

"Dammit. Don't look at me like that," she scowled.

"Like what?" he asked, the picture of innocence when he damn-well knew that that _look_, with the bedroom eyes and tilted mouth that pouted ever so-slightly, had been the downfall of many women, most specifically Jude.

Her eyes narrowed, unwilling to succumb to his masculine charm. "You're living dangerously, Quincy. Breaking into my apartment, waking me up and now lying to me."

"A, you gave me a key. B, I tried to do it nicely and even brought you your favorite coffee," he ticked off his fingers as he continued. "C, I'm not lying. I really do want to spend the entire day with you." As he spoke, she shifted on the bed, her thighs opening ever so slightly and he had to look away to avoid the urge to stare. After a deep breath he looked back to find her eyeing him suspiciously. "Okay fine…I may need you to help me with a few things for tomorrow," he finally admitted.

He waited for her to throw something at him but she was calmly sipping her coffee, mouth tilted in a knowing half-grin.

"What are you smirking at?"

"You. You're so transparent."

Tommy's back went rigid. "No. I'm not. I'm dark and mysterious…with layers," he tossed out defensively. "Lots of layers."

"Hmmm…like an onion?" Amusement danced on her lips as they quirked into a smile.

His face blanched. "I hate onions. I would never want to be an onion."

Jude threw her head back and laughed, the action pulling her shirt up, stretching it across her unconfined breasts and he quickly moved to sit next to her on the bed to avoid staring at the nipples poking out from beneath the worn fabric.

She looked over at him. "Okay, Mr. Dark and Mysterious…what are we doing today?"

"Seeing as it's almost eleven and isomeone/i," he frowned at her. "was reluctant to get out of bed, we'll have to go run errands first…and then we can do lunch."

"Where? Mimi's?" It was their usual lunch spot, close enough to walk from G-Major, far enough to give the illusion of a get-away when work felt too claustrophobic.

He nodded. "I have a wardrobe fitting for the show, first. After that, we can do whatever."

Jude rolled her eyes but didn't protest. "No studio time?"

Tommy shrugged and bumped shoulders with her. "Eh…maybe if the mood strikes us, but today's not supposed to be about work." She watched his eyes grow serious until he looked away to stare down at his hands. "I have a feeling the next six weeks are going to be stressful enough…" His voice trailed off and it occurred to her that Tommy was really looking for a distraction, a way to forget about the show and everything that was going to happen. Underneath his sometimes tough and laidback exterior, he was actually nervous. He hadn't been in the spotlight like this in ten years and the show was definitely going to put him smack-dab, center stage.

She leaned her head against his shoulder and rested her hand on his thigh, patting it before taking a hand from his lap and twining their fingers. "You're right. We need a Jude and Tommy day o' fun." Her head tilted up to meet his gaze and she smiled. "Let's not tell Darius, though. He might pop a blood vessel."

Tommy chuckled and squeezed her hand, appreciating Jude's willingness to play along and marveling that she knew him so well. He'd seen the realization in her eyes and didn't doubt that she understood that he wanted a distraction from life for a while and she was the only person that had ever been able to make him forget the world around him and just enjoy _being_. "So…can I buy you lunch?"

"Mmm, most definitely. Just let me get pretty and we can go," she kissed his cheek as he helped her stand up.

A put-on sigh left his lips. "I don't know if I can wait that long, Harrison."

She glared, the back of her hand connecting solidly with his chest, an 'oof' escaping his lips as she stormed off. He shook his head, smirking as she slammed the bathroom door. He sank back down onto the edge of the mattress to wait for her, glancing around the room, studying the familiar surroundings. He'd been to Jude's place plenty of times, but as he sat there, it hit him just how _her_ it really was. From the clothes strewn about to the meticulously organized music collection. Her passion for the important things in her life came through in everything. A picture on her nightstand caught his attention and he reached over to grab it, already knowing what he'd see. They'd been helping set up the stage for the Instant Star contest and Kwest had snapped the shot of them sitting next to each other, both avoiding doing any actual work, other than the guitar they were tuning. Jude's head was on his shoulder and they looked…content. He had a couple of similar pics at his place and a framed issue of the first Talk National article he and Jude had graced the cover of after her 'size' comments. She'd given it to him as a present and a reminder not to mess with her. Just thinking about it made him smile and he realized that the next six weeks without her just weren't going to feel right.

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"All right, try these, Mr. Quincy." The tailor thrust several items at Tommy and gestured to the large fitting room at the back of the store. Tommy wrestled with the clothes, trying to keep it all on the hangers as he walked back to try them on. Jude snickered from behind, clearly enjoying the show as the small Asian man bossed him around. Mr. Zhu, Darius' tailor, had been fitting the mogul in expensive Italian suits for years. The store was a hole in the wall, disguised and out of the way, and Mr. Zhu was kind of a hard-ass. And bossy, definitely bossy.

Jude made herself comfortable on the sofa that sat near the dressing room. The east wall was covered in mirrors and a box sat out, waiting for Tommy to stand on to get fitted for alterations.

Tommy came out a moment later, white dress shirt untucked and zipping up dark slacks. "I don't have cufflinks," he frowned and went to stand by the mirror to check himself out.

"It's fine. Does it fit otherwise?" Jude asked, tone slightly bored. She'd helped Tommy shop for clothes more times than she could count. He nodded and Mr. Zhu appeared, pins on his wrist, tape measure around his neck.

"You ready?" he asked. His sharp eyes look Tommy up and down as he frowned. "Don't slouch. I can't do correct measurement if you're slouching."

Jude loved this man. Seriously. As he spoke, his English perfect and condescending, she covered her mouth to mask her giggles, but Tommy could see her in the mirror and he scowled.

"Just what is so funny?"

"You are," she answered. "Mr. Zhu makes you nervous." She pointed this out right in front of the man and she could have sworn that she saw a small smile pass his lips, but he quickly turned serious and set about pinning Tommy's pants.

"The man has pins, Jude. One wrong move and he could stick me with them."

"Whatever. You are such a big weenie."

Tommy's face broke into a grin. "I love it when the words 'big' and 'weenie' are put together in a sentence about me." His eyes danced as his eyebrows rose suggestively.

Jude snorted. "I think that the 'weenie' part negates the 'big'."

Mr. Zhu turned to Jude and that time she definitely saw him smile.

She and Tommy continued to banter back and forth as the suit was fitted, their conversation amusing the tailor.

"How does my butt look?" Tommy joked as they stood there looking at the fit. Jude rolled her eyes. "I've seen better." Tommy ignored her and eyed the suit critically.

"I don't know. Maybe that white suit out front would be better. The one with the pleats?"

Jude winced, the image of Tommy in the white suit too reminiscent of photos from his Boyz Attack days. She shook her head no. "It won't fit you. You're a forty regular. This one looks nice," she reassured.

Mr. Zhu was nodding in agreement. "You're girlfriend is right, Mr. Quincy. It won't fit you." He glanced at Jude and offered a smile. "You have a good eye."

"I'm not his girlfriend," she blurted out, embarrassed that the man had gotten the wrong impression. "I'm more like a glorified assistant," she quickly explained.

Tommy, who'd been busy buttoning and unbuttoning the jacket, smirked. "Aw, Babes. It's okay, we don't have to hide or love…"

"Don't _'Babes'_ me, you jackass. It's almost three pm and you have failed to feed me as promised. My blood sugar is low and I don't have nearly as much fun looking at you as you have admiring yourself." She crossed her arms in front of her chest in irritation, her foot tapping anxiously on the beige carpet.

Tommy frowned at her from the mirror. "This suit is important. It's for the show's finale. I have to wear it to pick out the love of my life." He said it with a mock seriousness that made Jude frown.

"If she's looking at your suit instead of focusing on you, then you have bigger problems."

Mr. Zhu, who had remained impassive until then, spoke up. "She's right," he paused. "But it's a great suit."

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

A half hour later Tommy had settled on the suit and taken great pleasure in putting it on Darius' tab. Then he took Jude to lunch as originally promised. She was enjoying her grilled cheese sandwich, happily eating and sucking down a diet coke while he picked at his turkey club and fries.

"Okay, spill," Jude finally said around a mouthful of cheese and bread. "You look tortured." And he did. She'd been trying to ignore the lost little boy expression that had taken over his face when they'd sat down to eat, because she didn't want to spend their day together talking about the show. But it was apparently unavoidable.

"I'm…nervous," he admitted with a deep sigh. "And I know that I shouldn't be. I mean, twenty beautiful women, all vying for my attention. What's not to love, right?"

"Uhm…the herpes you might get from them? I've heard they're not so fun," she tossed out.

A smile snuck past his lips, but was quickly replaced with an unsure frown. His eyes were unfocused in front of him, his fingers twisting the paper from his straw. She reached across the table, fingers still greasy from her sandwich and put her hand over his.

"You're taking this too seriously, Quincy. It's not life or death. Just…have fun with it," she advised. He stared at her hand and then turned his over, twining their fingers. She offered a reassuring squeeze. "The next six weeks should be about having a good time with the most beautiful skanks…" That earned a full out Tommy-grin. "…that you'll ever see. And when it's over, you'll be so busy with your fast track to Rockstardom that this will all be a distant memory. It's a means to an end, right?"

He nodded and his whole body relaxed. Their eyes locked and Jude's breath caught as his expression changed, a teasing, seductive glint in his gaze. Slowly, he brought her hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. She started to pull back, not sure how to read him or gage what he was up to, but he surprised her by holding firm. She watched with helpless fascination as his fingers separated her fingers, pushing all but the index finger back. He returned her hand to his mouth, sucking the extended digit between his lips, licking it, rolling his tongue along the soft pad before releasing it with a wet 'pop'.

"What the hell?" Her voice croaked and she jerked her hand back, wide eyes staring at the wet finger and then back at Tommy. Her breath was thready, her panties wet and he was just sitting there, grinning devilishly and licking those damn lips of his.

"There were crumbs on your finger. I thought I'd get them off for you."

Well he'd definitely almost gotten _her_ off with that little stunt.

She scoffed, looking away and taking a large gulp of her soda, trying to cover up her aroused reaction. "The jokes on you then because I picked my nose with that finger when you weren't looking."

He grimaced in disgust and then let out a stilted chuckle. "I'm probably gonna call you everyday," he told her sincerely. "I'm going to need my Jude fix."

She shrugged off the comment, not wanting to internalize it or have it mean too much to her. He wasn't serious and she couldn't let him know that the things he did knocked her off balance, made her wonder if he'd ever feel more than that familial friendship he professed. Leaning forward, feigning a casualness she no longer felt, she snagged a French fry from his plate. "You say that now, but I think you're going to like some of the girls. I picked a Candace Cameron look-alike just for you at the last casting session."

His eyebrows rose and he cleared his throat. "Candace Cameron look-alike?" His question came off less than interested.

She smirked, much more comfortable now that he was slightly iun/icomfortable. "Don't act like you aren't intrigued, Quincy. I know for a fact that Candace Cameron was the first girl you ever had a wet dream about," she taunted, eyes sparkling with amusement. He'd confessed his little crush one night during a drunken game of Truth or Dare that had ended with both of them passed out in his living room. Jude snickered. "Full House was your porn."

Tommy's mouth dropped open, and she sensed he'd try to deny it, but instead he offered a wry grin and shrugged unapologetically. "What can I say? There was just something about DJ that really tripped by trigger." His eyebrows rose up and down suggestively. "Uncle Jesse wasn't half bad either."

That earned a full blown cackle from Jude, causing the café's other diners to gape in their direction as Jude's face turned red from her laughter. "Tell me you don't have the series on DVD…" she wheezed out, trying to get herself under control. For some reason she found this hysterically funny.

"One season," he admitted sheepishly. "But only because Kwest gave it to me as a gag gift…"

"I'm so going to make you watch it," she threatened with unholy delight.

Not wanting to further scare the other patrons of the restaurant, Tommy paid their bill and ushered Jude out to his Viper. "What do you want to do next?" The leather seats were cool as he slid behind the wheel and be briefly contemplated putting the top up, but Jude hadn't complained and she'd definitely let him know if she were too cold. But she seemed content, her head propped on the headrest, eyes closed.

"Mmm…the pier. We can just relax by the water for a little while. We haven't done that in forever," she suggested. Tommy agreed and pulled on his sunglasses before starting the car. From the corner of his eye, he saw Jude's hand slowly move towards the radio dials.

"I can see you," he informed her, pulling the car out into traffic.

Her hand stopped and her head turned to look at him. "I can see you too. Your point?"

"Don't touch the radio, Jude. My car, my choice."

"Sometimes I want to slap you," she grumbled, pulling her hand back, clearly itching to reach out and change the station. He almost gave in, but decided there wasn't much fun in that, not when he'd been barking that particular rule to her for almost eight years.

"You realize that I was barely alive when some of this music was popular," she taunted when he turned up the music. It was an old rock station that played hits from the eighties. She knew the songs as well as he did, but liked to give him shit about his age.

"Says the girl who listens to all that emo, boo-hoo my life is so bad, crap. At least the eighties were fun," he countered.

"Ah yes, tell me all about Wham! and how you made up your own dance to '_Wake Me Up Before You Go Go'_."

Tommy shook his head at her, trying to not to show his amusement. She was like a child sometimes and it would only egg her on if she thought she was being funny. Which she inevitably was, but he didn't want her to know that. "One of these days, Jude. I really am going to spank you."

"Promises, promises, Quincy…"

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he felt his body's reaction to her provocation. This had been happening a lot lately, unexpected hard-ons induced by Jude's teasing or random visions of her naked in his bed. Hell, he'd been fighting it for years, trying not to notice when she'd stumbled into womanhood, or maybe tripped was the better adjective. Regardless, he liked their friendship the way it was and it wouldn't be good to mar it with an unwelcome physical attraction. He'd never had this kind of connection with anyone. Jude had stuck with him longer than anyone else in his life and he couldn't mess that up.

For the first time, he wondered if maybe everyone had been right. Maybe it would be good for them to spend some time apart…for him to meet other women, test the waters. He'd been alone with only his hand for company for the last six months and quite honestly, the last few showers he'd taken had involved fantasies that he ought to be ashamed of, considering the friendship they had.

"You're awfully quiet," Jude's voice observed in a sing-song manner.

Tommy couldn't look at her. "Most people focus when they're driving," he told her curtly, unable to say what he really wanted. Which was that he'd jerked off to a particularly hot image of her in the throes of orgasm just that morning, something that he'd never seen before, but didn't have a problem imagining, that is until he was actually face to face with her.

"Don't get bitchy."

The rest of the drive was spent in silence until they reached the pier. Tommy parked and quickly got out, walking to the edge by the water. Jude held back and reached for her backpack. Tommy had given her a new journal and she found herself eager to fill the pages. She wasn't sure what had set him off, but she knew enough that, this time she wouldn't be able to say anything to improve his mood. Instead, she grabbed his guitar and went to sit on the bench closest to the car. She watched him for a moment as he stared at the water and briefly wondered what was going through his mind. Sometimes he was an open book, other times, she'd swear he was a stranger. The longer she'd known him, the more open he'd become. It had been awhile since he'd closed off like this around her…

She went back to her journal, ideas bombarding her, eager to be written out. A short while later, Tommy joined her, picking up the guitar and settling on the bench with her. Neither of them spoke as they settled into a familiar pattern. Jude continued to write obsessively in her new journal while Tommy dinked around on the guitar composing new melodies or working on chord variations.

Tommy couldn't focus on the music though. He was still distracted. Mostly by Jude. He'd managed to convince himself that his little fantasies were nothing more than a byproduct of her being the only female in his acquaintance just then. Which would change rapidly in fewer than twenty-four hours. Pushing it all aside, he watched her as she continued to write, pausing to bite the end of her pen as she poured over what she'd written. She looked up and caught his gaze. "Can I borrow your guitar?"

He was surprised by the request, but handed the instrument to her as she set her notebook off to the side. She began to strum, humming a melody he didn't recognize.

"Are you writing a new song?"

Ignoring him, the strumming stopped as she reached to write something down before she looked at him. "Kind of," was the answer he got.

"Sing it for me."

The "No" came quickly and left no room for argument. In all the years he'd known her, she'd never willingly performed anything for him. He'd heard her briefly, singing snippets of songs here and there, and knew that she had a good voice. But when she and Sadie did Karaoke, Jude always did it as a goof, never really singing. He'd never thought much about it before but as he watched her, it suddenly became very important.

"Why not?"

It felt like she was keeping a part of herself separate from him, the one thing she'd never shared with him.

She stopped strumming all together and pushed the guitar back at him. "I just had a quick idea, is all." She brushed it off, trying to make it unimportant. "Not a big deal." As she avoided his gaze, it occurred to him that there was a real possibility that things with Jude were not what they'd always seemed. He'd always assumed he knew everything about her, but she was lying about the song and it hurt that she would hold herself back from him like that.

He stood up from the bench. "I want to go to the studio," he declared.

Jude saluted him mockingly and he fought the urge to shake her. "Sure thing, boss."

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

_You used to talk to me like_

_I was the only one around._

_You used to lean on me like_

_The only other choice was falling down._

_You used to walk with me like_

_We had nowhere we needed to go,_

_Nice and slow, to no place in particular._

"Darius is going to flip over this," Kwest enthused as he and Tommy sat, listening to the playback of Tommy's new song. After they showed up at the studio, Tommy had taken all of two hours to write the song that had filtered into his head during his afternoon with Jude. Kwest helped and now, six hours later, they had a solid demo for Darius.

Tommy offered his friend a smile that didn't quite reach his tired eyes. The song was good, probably one of the best he'd ever written. But something about it felt hollow.

_We used to have this figured out;_

_We used to breathe without a doubt._

_When nights were clear, you were the first star that I'd see._

_We used to have this under control._

_We never thought._

_We used to know._

_At least there's you, and at least there's me._

_Can we get this back?_

_Can we get this back to how it used to be?_

He glanced up and caught Kwest looking at him, his expression assessing. "What?"

Kwest looked back at the soundboard, making a quick adjustment. "You want to talk about what's going on? Or just pretend it's not happening?"

Tommy raked a hand over his face in frustration. "I wish I knew what the fuck was going on. If I did, maybe I wouldn't have to write stupid shit like this just to get it out of my system."

"We both know this isn't stupid shit, T. It's a good song. But I know you and I know that this has something to do with Jude. Obviously something's going on with you two."

That was an understatement. Tommy had brought her to the studio only to kick her out after he'd started writing out the song. He hadn't wanted her there for the process and when he'd told her that, her hurt had been palpable.

Tommy slouched down in his chair, head thrown back, staring at the ceiling as he avoided looking at Kwest. "I just…I feel like my life is a collision course and I can't get braced for the impact, ya know? And I needed Jude, of all people, to just be… the same. I need one thing in my life that isn't going to change, because I know that everything else is. But today, I was watching her write something and I realized that I've never heard her sing before and when I asked her to sing the song she was writing she actually told me no."

_I used to reach for you when_

_I got lost along the way._

_I used to listen._

_You always had just the right thing to say._

_I used to follow you._

_Never really cared where we would go,_

_Fast or slow, to anywhere at all._

Kwest watched Tommy carefully, studying him as he spoke. Frustration and confusion seemed to be the emotions he was most in touch with just then. Obviously it was just occurring to him that Jude was more than his little gal pal, that there might be more to her than she'd let him see for all these years. Tommy didn't know how to deal with it or with her.

"She's pulling away from me," he voiced softly. "And I can't do a damn thing about it because I have to be sequestered in a big mansion with a bunch of women I don't know, that may be potentially psychotic, money grubbing, whores." Tommy paused again. "You and I go way back, Kwest. You've always had my back, but Jude…she just gets me. She understands about the music and …"

"You don't have to explain it to me," Kwest told him. And he didn't. For a long time, Tommy and Jude's connection had been visible to all who came into contact with them.

After a long pause, Tommy pushed himself up from his chair. He'd been a jerk earlier and he needed to go find Jude and apologize. He'd promised her a whole day of them together and then he'd been an ass and kicked her out of the studio. Which was stupid because that connection that he was so afraid of losing was most prominent when they got in the studio together.

The song had been too raw, too deep and he'd been afraid for her to hear it. Afraid it would make things worse between them.

Throwing out a harried 'goodnight' to Kwest, Tommy grabbed his leather jacket and left the studio. As he headed for the front doors, his eyes snagged on a shadowed form, huddled on the couches near hospitality.

Jude.

He reached her side in three long strides and knelt down next to her sleeping form. Her cheek rested awkwardly against her arm, lips parted and tilted in a frown. She would have seemed peaceful if it hadn't been for the dried tear tracks on her cheeks. Tommy's heart squeezed painfully when he realized that he'd caused that. He used the back of his finger to trace the tear-stained curve and leaned forward, kissing her softly.

_I look around me,_

_And I want you to be there_

_'Cause I miss the things that we shared._

_Look around you._

_It's empty, and you're sad_

_'Cause you miss the love that we had_.

She stirred and he straightened slightly before leaning over and shifting her slight weight into his arms. "Come on, Princess. Let's get you home," he whispered. She moved against him, settling more comfortably as her eyes fluttered slightly, opening in slits.

"Are you still mad at me," she mumbled softly, her cheek nestled against his chest as he carried her out the G-Major doors towards his car.

"Nah, Babes. I was never mad at you," he told her truthfully.

"Mmm…good."

They reached the car and he lifted her over the still uncovered door, not bothering to actually open it as he positioned her in the seat, fastening her seat belt securely. He kissed he forehead before moving to the driver's side to take her home. His intention was to get her home, wake her up and apologize. But when he got to her place, she was still sleeping soundly and he didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead he made sure she was safely tucked into bed before lying down next to her, pulling her to him until she curled up against him. His apology could wait. What he needed from this moment couldn't.

_At least there's you, and at least there's me._

_Can we get this back?_

_Can we get this back to how it used to be?_

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Who knew that reality TV shows had directors? Certainly not Tommy until he showed up at G-Major for an early meeting with Darius. It was the first day of filming, the day he'd meet all the girls he'd be spending portions of the next six weeks with. Despite the nerves that haunted him on and off, he'd slept well the night before only to wake up wrapped around Jude, sporting an erection that would make a hooker blush. He'd taken great pains to extract himself from the situation before he accidentally woke Jude. Of course, actually waking her hadn't been much of a threat. She'd been sawing logs loud enough to wake the neighbors. Surprisingly, that hadn't helped deflate things and he'd been forced to take a cold shower aided by a few quick hand strokes to eliminate his morning wood.

Now the 'director' was sitting in the chair next to Tommy's while Darius held court from behind his desk. Marcus Sinclair was the guy's name and Tommy pretty much hated him on sight. He had longish, dirty blonde hair and looked like a taller version of Orlando Bloom. He was maybe in his late twenties or early thirties, but he seemed a little too eager and idealistic to be an experienced director and was probably using this little stint to break into other, more prominent parts of the entertainment industry. He was going to be calling the shots, setting up the scenes and eventually he and Tommy would have to work together to edit the show.

"So we want to start with a shot of you driving your motorcyle to the mansion. We're thinking leather jacket, shades…no helmet. Really play up the bad-boy image that you've honed," Marcus started, hands gesticulating wildly as he laid out the scene.

Tommy snorted. Jesus…he hadn't been a 'bad-boy' in years. Not really. And the stuff he'd done when he was younger, well, he'd been stupid then and… "That's gonna be a no," Tommy inserted.

Darius glared from his desk, eyes narrowed at his employee. "He'll do it. What's next?"

Marcus eyed Tommy warily before continuing. "We'll have all the girls lined up in front of the mansion, waiting for you. They won't be allowed inside the mansion until you get there. And after you do a quick introduction, which we'll get you a script for, the girls will head inside. Five of them will be pulled aside by Big Lou…"

"Big Lou?" Tommy cut off Marcus' speil and glanced at Darius questioningly.

"You remember him from Boyz Attack days, right, T? He's going to be your body guard and a mediator with the girls," Darius filled in.

"As I was saying, Big Lou, is going to pull five girls aside and he's either going to give them a V.I.P. pass or send them on their way. Ideally we're thinking there would be eighteen girls left for the meet and greet then."

Tommy bit back a groan. "I'm afraid to ask, but what's a V.I.P. pass?

Marcus smiled and tossed his shaggy hair. "It was my idea, actually. The girls with V.I.P. passes get to sleep in private rooms and they also get ten minutes of one on one time with you during the meet and greet before the first elimination ceremony." The man looked so pleased with himself over the idea. Tommy wanted to go throw himself in front of a bus. Why had this ever seemed like a good idea?

Marcus was really on a roll then, clearly enjoying his vision for the show. "At elimination you'll pick fifteen girls to stay in the house until the next elimination."

Darius nodded, agreeing and on board with Marcus' directorial vision.

"Then what?"

Marcus grinned. "Then you do your Tommy Q best to make out with and seduce as many of the girls as possible.

Good Christ, it sounded like some kind of orgy. Hell, five years ago he could have maybe handled it, but…he was thirty years old, for fuck's sake. There was no way he could take on more than two girls at once, and even then, the girls were usually more into each other than him. Which was hot, but not always fun…okay, so it was actually kind of boring. "You want me to sleep with them?" his voice was incredulous and surprisingly disinterested.

Marcus laughed. "Of course not. Whether you sleep with them is your business. Yours will be the only room without cameras, so if you'd want privacy…" The words trailed off and the idiot wiggled his eyebrows. Tommy fought the urge to roll his eyes and glanced at Darius, who actually looked amused.

"Why don't you just take it day by day," D finally piped in. He directed his gaze at Marcus. "You can give Tom the scripts for each day when they're needed." To Tommy he said. "And Big Lou will be there to help with whatever you need, so don't worry."

That still wasn't reassurance enough to help Tommy relax. The meeting ended shortly after, with instructions for Tommy to head to the mansion with Big Lou by two pm so he could get help with wardrobe and makeup.

_Yep. This was reality_, he thought.

Tommy went off to find Kwest, needing something to kill time, but his friend wasn't around and neither was Sadie. They were probably having sex in a closet somewhere. After a fruitless and not entirely thorough search, he snuck into Studio C and locked the door before pulling out his phone. He hit speed dial #1 and a pic of he and Jude popped onto the screen. He'd resisted the urge to call her all morning, but now he wanted to know what she was doing.

"Ugh," she answered. "Aren't you supposed to be pimping it right now?" The words were slightly muffled and followed by a crunching sound. She was obviously eating. He glanced at his watch and saw that it wasn't quite eleven in the morning. She'd probably just woken up.

"I don't have to report in for pimping until this afternoon. I'm bored," he explained. "What are you doing? Come see me."

He could hear her chewing for a moment before she spoke. "That depends. Are you going to be nice to me, or will you kick me out of the studio again?"

Tommy groaned. He was hoping they could just forget about that. He'd left an apology note on her nightstand. "I'm sorry about that," he told her sincerely. "I was a jerk."

"Yes. You were. I'll expect the apology present sometime later today."

He grinned. She sounded like normal Jude and he felt like normal Tommy. "Seriously, come to G-Major. Just until I head over to the mansion. We'll use the big black hummer limo to drop you off at your apartment."

"We'll see," she continued chewing. "I'm waiting for your mom to call me back," she informed him.

"What?"

"Yeah, she left a message for me yesterday because she's been trying to get a hold of you but you are apparently not returning her calls. You're such an ass sometimes."

"So why are you going to talk to her?" He wasn't sure if he liked the idea of his mom just calling to chat Jude up. It was a recipe for humiliation, his humiliation. They would exchange stories about him and Jude would use those stories against him, viciously.

"She's upset about your reality show. Doesn't think you can find a normal girl and she wants grandkids. Soon. Swear to god, she said that in her message." Jude was chuckling now, clearly thrilled by his discomfort.

"I meant to call her, I really did," he offered weakly.

"Eh…she'll get over it. She also wants me to come stay with her for a week."

"Dear god, why?"

"She likes me."

Tommy knew that was true. He'd taken Jude with him to visit his mother several times. Marie Du Tois loved Jude. And Jude had loved her. Their immediate bond had been a bit surprising, but Tommy hadn't said anything about it. Especially because Jude's relationship with her own mother was so strained. He figured she'd needed some kind of maternal influence and he'd been happy to lend out his mom for it. He just hadn't realized they kept in touch.

"And she also knows that I'm essentially on vacation for the next six weeks. She promised to tell me stories about your misspent youth. And pictures…there will be lots of pictures."

Tommy groaned. "Fuck," he mumbled and Jude's laughter echoed in his ear. "I can't believe you're replacing me with my mother," he whined.

"Stop it. You know that's not true." She paused. "But she's beeping through right now."

"Fine. Sorry to interrupt your busy schedule. I'll just be sitting here…all by myself." His words trailed off with a defeated sigh. He was laying it on a bit thick and Jude would either hang up on him or feel guilty.

"You're impossible. I'll call you back in twenty minutes." She hung up and he smiled. He'd have to remember to call his mom later and grill her about her conversation with Jude.

When Jude called back, almost a half-hour later, Tommy was ready, having had plenty of time to think about an excuse to get her to come in. "I need you to pick up some stuff for me," he told her. "I forgot…" He didn't get the sentence out before Jude interrupted.

"You couldn't have forgotten anything. A, I packed your stuff for you two days ago and B, you already said you're not at the mansion so you wouldn't even know if you were missing something yet."

Interrupting her tirade, he did his best to charm her. "I know that I miss _you_." He could almost hear her rolling her eyes and he bit back a chuckle because he knew she was probably blushing.

"You're so weird," she finally told him.

"Whatever, Harrison. It takes one to know one."

Her responding giggle was music to his ears. "So true, Quincy." She paused. "Do you seriously need something or are you just getting nervous?"

"I don't get nervous," he told the lie with more conviction than he felt.

"That's right. You _love_ publicity and attention."

"I really just want someone to hang out with," he admitted. "Big Lou's going to be the house Den mother, but other than him, I'm friendless."

"Is he the one that used to call you 'Jazzy hands'?"

"Don't remind me. Please?" He wasn't above begging. Besides, he wanted to see her and apologize in person for being a jerk yesterday. Maybe he'd play the new song for her…

There was a long pause and for a moment Tommy thought maybe the call had dropped, but Jude spoke up, sounding annoyed. "Okay. I give. Where should I meet you?"

"This is why I love you, Harrison. You're my girl." And she was. "Just come to G-Major."

"Alright. But I'm not going to stay very long," she informed him. "I don't think I can handle being around all of those…_women_." Disdain dripped from the word and Tommy laughed before he tossed out a quick goodbye. Feeling much better than he had an hour earlier, he left the confines of the studio and made his way to the lobby and over to hospitality. Halfway there, he noticed a very harried looking Marcus rushing into Darius' office. Tommy continued on his way to the fridge to get drinks for he and Jude before waiting for her in his office.

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Jude was cursing herself for being weak. She had absolutely no kind of backbone or any kind of boundaries when it came to Tommy. Not only had she given in and agreed to meet him at G-Major, but he'd convinced her- with nervous, pleading looks, that she was sure were an act- to give him a backrub.

"You really need to relax, Quincy," she said as she kneaded the muscles in his shoulders. "You're wound tighter than a virgin." Knotted muscled canvassed his shoulder and back.

He snorted. "That's why you're here." He was lying face down on the couch, shirtless, while she straddled him at the waist. "Tell me why I'm doing this again?"

He was fishing for reassurance. Again. And it was getting on her nerves. She actually couldn't wait until she had a little bit of a break from him. "Other than perhaps, potentially finding your soul mate," she snickered at the idea, "you are doing this because it's going to launch your solo career. You are going to make a huge solo debut and the show is going to make sure it happens." He grunted his agreement as she pushed on a large knot just below his scapula.

The room stayed silent then as she continued to knead the sinewy muscles, the occasional appreciative moan leaving Tommy's lips.

A knock on the door made Jude groan and she sat back, her butt landing on the small of Tommy's back. He grunted with the impact. She moved to let him sit up, pouting as Tommy reached to pull on his shirt. "That's not fair," Jude grumbled while he unlocked the door to answer the persistent knock.

"What's not fair?" he asked as he opened the door.

"I wanted you to do _me_ before we left."

Marcus Sinclair stood there, eyebrows raised as he heard Jude's words and his gaze drifted to Tommy, buttoning his shirt, to Jude, standing there looking put-out. "Am I interrupting?"

Tommy glanced back at Jude and grinned. "Nah. I'll do her later." His teasing was rewarded with a deep crimson blush that spread from Jude's neck to the top of her head as she realized just how her words had been misconstrued.

Marcus coughed, clearing his throat. "I…uh, we have a bit of a problem," he explained. "Can you meet in Darius' office to discuss it?" His eyes traveled back to Jude who was nervously fidgeting and clearly embarrassed.

"Yeah, we'll come right over." Tommy turned to Jude and grabbed her hand, pulling her along as he followed behind Marcus.

Darius looked irritated when they entered and his frown deepened when he saw Jude. She was fully prepared to slip out of the room, but Tommy had a firm hold on her hand and he'd cause a scene if she tried.

She could feel eyes on her. The guy that had come to get Tommy was watching her, studying her almost like he was sizing her up.

"I'll cut to the chase," Darius spoke up. "We just got a call from casting. Apparently one of the girls had to back out. She uh…didn't pass the STD screening."

Jude blanched. _Ew. Disgusting._

"So we're down to nineteen girls," the guy with the staring problem added.

"So what the hell does that mean?" Tommy asked.

"That maybe you should check into getting a full body condom for this experience." The sardonic words slipped out and she immediately wished she'd kept her mouth shut.

Surprisingly, weird staring man started laughing. "You're funny," he said bluntly. "Who are you?"

Tommy's grip on her hand tightened and she glanced at him and saw that he was glaring at the other man.

"I'm Jude. Tom's b.f.f. and personal assistant."

"I'm Marcus, the director," he introduced himself.

Jude shook the offered hand, confusion in her eyes. "Since when does a reality show need a director?"

Marcus laughed again. "Someone has to control the camera crew," he explained with a smile. Jude returned the smile, not realizing that Tommy's glare had darkened. She did notice that Marcus was kind of cute…if you liked the really artsy, fartsy types.

Marcus was looking her up and down again, smiling and nodding approvingly.

"Could you stop ogling Jude and focus on the issue at hand," Tommy bit out. He did not like the way Marcus was looking at Jude. The guy wasn't even being subtle about it, but what pissed him off more was that Jude wasn't all that upset by the obvious appraisal. She looked intrigued.

"I have an idea," Marcus said, ignoring Tommy. He turned to Darius. "Have Jude fill in."

A loud "What?" left three mouths simultaneously, echoing in the large room.

Marcus smiled. "It's perfect actually. Jude's his assistant; she can be his 'inside' girl, so to speak. It would be an interesting twist on the concept. She could pretend to be just another of the girls, befriend them, get to now them when they aren't around Tommy and then fill him in later on their 'real' personalities." His eyes lit up with a faraway look as if he were imagining how it would all play out.

"No." Jude pulled away from Tommy. Arms crossed tightly in front of her, she glared at Marcus, the look much nastier then Tommy's had been a few minutes earlier.

Tommy looked thoughtful. It actually wasn't a bad idea. "It could work," he voiced, receiving a dark forbidding frown from Jude.

"He's right. It could," Darius added. "And it would be an interesting twist. Definitely more drama in the house." Darius was nodding his head, really starting to like the idea. "You could even instigate some animosity among the girls. Maybe start a catfight or two…" He had signs in his eyes. Catfights meant more interest and viewers, which meant more advertising and publicity.

All three of the men were nodding with agreement and Jude shot each a disgusted look. "Why would I ever agree to this? I have no desire to be a pawn in your little freak show."

"Come on, Jude. It could be fun." Tommy was trying to use his 'ilook/i' on her but she turned away, hardening her resolve. It was absolutely the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard and she was not going to give in. No way. No how.

A hand wrapped around her arm and she quickly slapped it away, knowing it was Tommy trying to get her to look at him so his eyes could be used as weapons on her, to weaken her defenses. Marcus stepped in front of her. "You wouldn't have to stay the whole six weeks. We could arrange it so you get eliminated."

"Let me have a word with Jude. Alone," Darius spoke up. Surprised, Jude glanced over at him and then looked warily at Tommy. The bastard merely shrugged and turned to leave with Marcus. The large doors shut behind them and Darius walked around to the front of his desk to face her.

Posture defensive, arms still crossed in front of her, Jude met Darius's gaze.

"I know you think I don't like you," he started and Jude bit down on the inside of her cheek to keep from responding. "But the truth is, I think you've got a lot of potential. You're just a little young and inexperienced. But I think working with Tom like you have has been good for both of you." He paused and he eyed her carefully. "You being part of the show…it's a good idea. It will put Tom at ease and put you in a position to help or hinder the girls as you see fit, let you protect him a little bit."

The man was playing dirty, appealing to her emotional attachment.

"And…just like this show is going to do great things for Tom's career, it could do those things for you."

Her eyebrows rose to her hairline. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you do this, for Tommy, for G-Major and you and I can sit down and negotiate about your future here."

He knew just what to dangle in front of her, what to use as a bargaining chip.

"You'll give me some real producing gigs?" She wanted to be sure she understood what he was implying.

"We can talk details when you're done with the show."

For a split second, she hesitated, afraid that she was making a deal with the devil, handing over a chunk of her soul. But it was only a split second and then she was imagining the rush of sitting in front of her soundboard, an engineer on her right and an up and coming band in the booth, recording one of her songs…

"Okay. I'll do it," she breathed out quickly.

"I thought so." Darius smiled at her, perfect white teeth flashing with approval. He rounded his desk and reached for his phone. "I'm sending you to EJ. She'll get you some clothes and…" Darius paused, his eyes becoming slits as he looked at her. "You'll have to change your hair. We don't want you to be recognized. It shouldn't be too bad, those tabloid photos of you are never very good."

Jude snorted and rolled her eyes at the inadvertent insult, ignoring the way her stomach clenched and spasmed at the idea of a makeover. Changing her hair. She took a deep breath to steady herself. She could do this. Looks had never been something she'd obsessed over, so changing them wasn't a big deal, not when the outcome just might be her dream come true.

"Go meet EJ," Darius commanded. "I'll tell her you're on your way."

Jude gave a stilted nod and bolted for the door. She had to do this quickly or she'd lose her nerve. As the door to D's office opened for her escape, two anxious men stood waiting.

"Well?" Marcus asked hopefully.

Jude ignored him and looked at Tommy. "You owe me, Quincy. Big Time."

She took off for the wardrobe department like she was marching to her doom. At least it felt like it and EJ Lee was the styling Nazi. She'd been commenting- negatively, of course- on Jude's wardrobe for years. The woman would see this as some kind of sick challenge and when Jude caught sight of her standing there, grinning triumphantly, she wanted to run. EJ saw the terrified expression on her little 'projects' face and cut Jude off before she could escape. "Don't be a sissy. We've got less than three hours to make you acceptable and we're going to need every minute."

TBC...

Disclaimers: song is "Feelings Show" by Colbie Caillat and "Used To" by Daughtry I own nothing.


	5. Chapter 5

N: Well, it's been a long time coming, but here it is, chapter 5. Before you read on, I just want to take a moment to thank everyone that has been involved with this fic, and this chapter. This includes: Melissa, Natural Disaster, umagoshh, tommyqforever, OMGITSKELL, xINVINCIBUBBLEx, kthnxbai, scarletta7, letmefall3, InstantStarFan, mazkalns, Hopeless Romantic, and Marie. Each of these fabulous people has contributed to the development of the characters you are about to meet. They are my VIP Bitches. They've also helped me plot and given me ideas by taking on these roles. Some of them have really gone above and beyond with the help they've given me and I can't thank you guys enough for your inspiration and encouragement and beta skills . I want to give another shout-out to cassy09 for her tremendous work with the trailer (check it out on youtube). It makes me happy. And a big THANK YOU to all the readers/feedbackers. I really do appreciate you guys. Seriously!

And so, I hope everyone enjoys this part. A lot of love and care went into its creation and I hope that all the VIPs enjoy seeing their characters in action. (PS...some of you might not have a lot of 'screen' timethis go-round, but don't worry. I have plans. )

Let me know what you think! (Due to length, this is posted as several posts. It's my 37 page masterpiece!)

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Chapter 5- _**"Maneater"**_

_So many have paid to see  
What you think you're getting for free  
The woman is wild, a she-cat tamed by the purr of a jaguar  
Money's the matter  
If you're in it for love you ain't gonna get too far_

_Oh here she comes  
Watch out boy shell chew you up  
Oh here she comes  
She's a maneater_

_She's deadly man, and she could really rip your world apart  
Mind over matter  
The beauty is there but a beast is in the heart_

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"Okay, Tom. Just read right off the cue card," Marcus instructed as he placed Tommy in front of the camera. Makeup was called over for a touchup and Tommy winced as his face was powdered for the umpteenth time in the last hour. Apparently he wasn't allowed to be 'shiny' as Marcus called it. He was leaning against the motorcycle they had set up while they shot the introduction scene. After that he was supposed to get on the motorcycle and 'ride' to the mansion where he'd meet the girls.

He was parked two blocks away from the house and felt ridiculous. Not only was he reading lines off cue cards but Marcus wanted him to roar into the driveway on the bike once all the girls were lined up waiting for him.

Tommy squinted as the sun shone into his eyes. Marcus wouldn't let him wear his sun glasses, despite the fact that he'd been insistent that Tommy appear bad-ass when on the motorcycle. It was all so fucking hokey and contrived. Like doing those goddamn Taco commercials when he was in Boyz Attack. He'd forgotten just how awful this part of show business could be.

Marcus was still standing there talking like a parrot in front of him. "We want to start the show off with a statement from you. Sort of like a 'this is why I'm here' thing. I'm thinking when we start editing we'll sequence a shot of you riding the motorcycle with a shot of all the girls lined up and waiting for you to arrive. With a voice over…something about _'Twenty women coming together with only two things in common, their love for music and for the man who has made music his life.'_ "

Marcus looked so smug about it, like he was going to win an Emmy for his work and creativity.

"Now…just read off the cue cards." He paused. "And act like you mean it."

Tommy leaned back, settling into a posture he'd perfected back in the day. It was that nonchalant, 'I know I'm cool and you want me' pose that had made him famous. Marcus cued the camera and they started rolling as Tom put on his bad-ass boybander game face and smirked.

"**Hi. I'm Tom Quincy, formerly Little Tommy Q of Boyz Attack, twenty million records sold.**" He did his best not to blanch or roll his eyes. _Just smile and keep reading_, became his mantra. "**It's been awhile since those days, but music is still a huge part of my life. It's also my one true love, which has made it difficult to sustain any kind of serious relationship.**" Were people really going to buy this shit? It sounded like one of those stupid infomercials he and Jude made fun of when they were too wired to sleep. "**Ten years ago, I didn't know the meaning of love and back then it didn't matter. But now I'm getting older…**" Tommy scowled as he read the words.

"What's wrong? You were doing great?" Marcus asked from his spot breathing down the cameraman's neck.

"I'm not getting old. What the fuck is this 'old' business? I'm thirty. Since when is thirty old? You make it sound like I've got one foot in the grave." This was not good. It was bordering on ridiculous and all he wanted was to see Jude and have a beer and forget that he'd ever agreed to any of this. Jude's words from the day before filtered into his head. 'Have fun with it,' she'd said. This was definitely not his idea of fun.

"We're just trying to give a plausible reason for why you're doing this show. People don't want to hear that you're toying with the hearts of fifteen women just so you can have a hit record," Marcus told him, sounding less than pleased. Tommy's eyes narrowed briefly. The guy sounded suspiciously like Jude.

"Fine. Let's start over." He went back to his pose and did everything again, exactly the same as before. And when he got to the line about him being old, he ignored it and kept going. "**But now I'm getting older and it would be nice to have someone special in my life who could share my passion for music and the finer things.**" Oh Christ, now he sounded like some kind of prima donna. Fucking great. _Just keep smiling_… "**There are plenty of women out there and I've been with my fair share. Some you can be friends with, some you just want to have sex with, but somewhere in the midst of all that is someone who can be your best friend and the best lover you've ever had. That's what **_**Rock of Love**_** is all about. Finding that one person…that soul-mate.**"

"And cut." Marcus yelled. "Do it again after Jenny gets rid of that shine…you gotta stop sweating, Quincy."

Tommy bit back a smart-ass retort. It was hot out and he was wearing his black leather jacket, at Marcus' request. The sun was in his eyes, so yes, he was sweating and shiny and already fed up. "Is there something you'd like me to do differently this time?" he asked as Jenny, the makeup girl finished powdering his face.

"Just a little more sincerity. Make me believe you want to find love."

Tommy ignored him. They all knew that love was that last thing on his mind. "Where's Jude?" he asked. He'd been texting her all afternoon, but hadn't heard anything back. And he knew she was probably going through just as much hell as he was. Darius had explained about the makeover and the idea had immediately made Tommy cringe as thoughts of mini-dresses and spandex filtered through his head. Some girls could pull off those looks, but it was just so incongruous with Jude's personality that he wasn't sure it would be convincing on her. When he'd pointed that out to Darius, his boss had told him that the makeover wouldn't have been necessary if Tommy hadn't already exposed Jude as his little gal pal to every tabloid in the country.

Marcus looked up from his clipboard of notes. "EJ called me ten minutes ago. The makeover took longer than she thought. Jude's on her way right now." He smiled. "Jude actually helped with your script. I had her read it when I stopped by before I came here. She was uh…quite vocal about what she thought you should say. We had to compromise, although that wasn't easy. She has quite the mouth…" His face went all thoughtful and Tommy was suddenly two seconds away from hitting the guy. What the fuck was he doing thinking about Jude's mouth like some kind of pervert?

"We might have to see if she can tone down the swearing or we're going to have to beep out every other word when we're editing," Marcus continued, amused at the prospect.

Tommy relaxed his clenched fist as he realized that Marcus hadn't been ogling her mouth. In his defense, he could certainly understand having a fascination with Jude's mouth. She had a great mouth- perfect, full lips, a great smile and…

Marcus' face changed from thoughtful to business-like. "Let's get this done. We've still got to get the shots of you on the bike before we go introduce the girls. And then I need to talk with Jude before the meet-and-greet part of the evening starts."

Tommy took a step closer to the director, lowering his voice so that the rest of the crew couldn't hear. "Just so we're clear, Jude's here for business. She's helping me. That's all. I don't want there to be any problems or other situations." The words were a veiled threat and Marcus' face went blank before hardening as he realized what Tommy was implying.

"You're about to have a whole slew of women vying for your affection and Jude's role in that is to help you choose. I understand why she's here. And I understand perfectly that my job here is to capture this all on film. I just hope that _you_ don't get confused."

Marcus turned away then and went back over to his spot next to the cameraman. The conversation was done and now it was back to business. Tommy just hoped that it would stay that way. He didn't want Marcus thinking Jude was fair game just because she wasn't there to score Tommy as her love interest.

One of the production assistants ran up to Marcus and then the crew was re-organizing for the motorcycle shot. Marcus explained what he wanted and told Tommy to drive slowly so the cameras could follow. The next hour was a blur of activity with at least ten takes of Tommy driving two blocks on the motorcycle until someone gave the all clear for him to drive up the mansion's driveway where the girls were waiting for him.

And then there were more cue cards with another speech, welcoming the girls to the house and explaining everything that would happen. Truthfully, Tommy felt like an idiot. He was trying to read the cue cards correctly and scan the girls for Jude, but he couldn't do both and he'd already been told several times that he needed to pretend that he and Jude had never met before. He didn't particularly care for that, but he knew it was part of the new plan and if it meant he could wade the murky, shark-infested waters of this reality show with Jude by his side then he would go along with it.

"You're gonna have to do it again, Tom." Marcus told him. There were light meters and a boom that kept sneaking into the camera's view. The girls were all getting makeup touch-ups and Tommy's face was getting de-shined. He rolled his shoulders, trying to relax and get ready to paste on his best Colgate smile.

Looking at the girls, he was pretty sure that some of their faces might crack at any moment. Too much smiling and face shellac would do that.

Where the hell was Jude?

His eyes scanned the girls again, but the two redheads he spotted were both several inches taller than Jude and the one had her hair cut in that asymmetrical bob-thing that that Spice girl thought looked cute. The other was probably going to be taller than him in heels. He rolled his eyes. That was great. He would look like Tom Cruise standing next to Katie Holmes then. Both women were admittedly beautiful, but not the person he was looking for just then and his eyes didn't linger on them any longer than necessary as he continued to scan the estrogen ocean.

They'd been filming for hours, trying to get the 'scene' just right. The sun had shifted and now some of the girls were directly in the path of the rays. Tommy couldn't even make out their faces anymore.

"Just read straight through it. We've got to get the shot before the sun goes down," Marcus directed, sounding as frustrated as Tommy felt. He hadn't expected this to be such a big production and his mind didn't want to even acknowledge that this was going to be his life for the next six weeks.

It took another twenty minutes and two takes before Marcus was happy with the opening intro and then Big Lou was taking over as Tommy was ushered inside to change clothes. His bags were already unpacked in his suite of rooms on the first floor, separated from the girls' bedrooms up on the second floor of the mansion.

The bedroom was bigger than his apartment, and he was fairly sure Jude would go nuts for the excessively large bathroom. But his favorite part was the private patio. It had a tall fence separating it from the rest of the back yard/pool area.

The time alone was a godsend and Tommy quickly threw himself onto the bed, ignoring the tacky leopard print sheets and cheesy décor. It wouldn't have mattered if it had been decorated with fairies; he loved it because it was his private sanctuary, away from the madness. One of the only things he'd insisted on when they'd been setting up the house rules was that all the girls had to have permission to enter his room. They could only enter if he invited them. The producer's had agreed, but only with the stipulation that the camera crew be allowed to follow the girls into the room. Tommy was fine with that, mostly because he had no intention of allowing any of the girls, Jude excluded, to enter his lair.

Glancing at the clock on the metal nightstand he settled back against the pillows. The meet-and-greet would start in an hour once the girls were settled into their rooms. That gave him plenty of time for a quick nap.

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She was going to fucking kill Darius. Seriously. And then she'd go after Tommy and maybe even Marcus, although she really didn't know him well enough to murder him, but the other two…

Shaking her head, she stared at her reflection, not recognizing the woman looking back at her. EJ had tortured her all afternoon, plucking and waxing, slathering on facial crèmes and makeup. And her hair- her wonderfully rebellious red hair- was now…blonde. Sweet Jesus, she looked like another version of her sister. For eight years she'd gone to great lengths to separate herself from her naturally blonde roots, but now-

She groaned and buried her face in her hands. What the hell had she gotten talked into?

Two hours ago she'd been rushed from G-Major to a limo and then handed off to one of the production assistants to get placed with the rest of the girls. All they were supposed to do was stand there and smile as Tommy drove up and said a few words. She'd been relieved, thinking it would only take a few minutes and then she'd be able to calm down and finally have some time to herself and actually look at her new makeover (EJ hadn't even let her have a quick peek). But it had taken way more than just a few minutes to get that little scene right. Jude would have given up if she hadn't seen Tommy struggling. There had been several moments where the urge to reassure him had almost had her breaking character, but she stayed strong, knowing that he'd be better off in the long run if things just played out as planned. She was his informant and that meant she had to at least last the night.

So she'd stood there, next to all the giggling, over-perfumed twits that passed the time by gushing over Little Tommy Q between takes. They all made Tommy out to be some kind of prize and well, she'd smelled his morning breath and knew that he wasn't, at least not the kind of 'prize' they were envisioning. Tommy was so much more than the image they had in their heads. He was more than the image the Marcus was trying to cultivate and direct.

The whole thing was ridiculous but she'd kept her mouth shut and her head facing forward. It had been a proud moment when Marcus finally gave the girls a break and Jude realized she was still sane. That lasted all of fifteen minutes until she'd entered the bathroom and got a good look at herself. Now she wanted to vomit.

"Jude? You okay?" Big Lou's voice called through the bathroom door.

With a reluctant sigh and one last glance back at the mirror and the stranger there, Jude opened the bathroom door. "I'm fine, Lou. Just…uncomfortable," she admitted and tugged on the bottom half of the hooker vest EJ had forced her to wear. It was faux leather, fitted and she hadn't been able to wear anything under it. Artfully frayed jeans were cinched with a black belt adorned with an excessively large silver buckle. The shoes were a pair of three inch heeled monstrosities that were causing calf-cramps and made her want to whimper. They were an instrument of torture that EJ swore were completely 'fierce', after which she promptly explained they were worth more than Jude's life and they had to be returned to the G-Major wardrobe unscathed. EJ should have known better. Jude was fairly sure that if the shoes weren't broken by the end of the night then her ankle or some other bone in her body would be. Her only consolation was that the heels could be used as a weapon if any of the girls got too feisty.

"The other girls are already mingling. Tommy's with one of the VIPs in the courtyard by the pool," Lou explained.

Jude was relieved at the reprieve, not quite ready to face Tommy, afraid she'd physically hurt him for his part in the whole debacle. Taking deep breaths she followed Big Lou down the hallway, the sounds of the party in full swing, each tentative footstep bringing her closer to her own personal nightmare.

Lou left her standing by stairs that separated the girls' sleeping quarters from the rest of the house. Frozen; her feet didn't seem to want to work and so she sucked in deep breaths and focused on looking around. Gah. There were women everywhere. Like they were coming out of the woodwork or something. Although…there wasn't exactly a lot of woodwork. The rooms were distinctly modern with an emphasis on music. The wall closest to her was decorated with platinum and gold albums. All from artists that Tom had worked with. Okay, so that was sort of cool. There were quite a few big names up on that wall.

Suddenly Jude's feet were moving as she found herself scanning each of the plaques, trying to identify the albums that she'd actually helped with. Her amusement increased tenfold when the wall of plaques morphed into a Boyz Attack shrine. There was a framed poster from their 1999 World Tour and directly next to that was…she sucked back a choked laugh. It was Tommy's white bandana, preserved in shadow box.

Holy. Shit.

She honestly would not be surprised to wake up the next morning and find the other women on their knees, looking at the white piece of fabric like it was the Holy Grail and they were there to worship.

Oh god. She was going to give Tommy so much crap about it…she couldn't wait.

Her mood shifted as amusement settled over her. She needed to take the advice she'd given Tommy the day before. Have fun. That's all she really needed to do. She could be whoever she wanted to be, with a new look to top it all off, and it wouldn't matter. As long as she stirred up a little trouble and kept the drama level cranked, she was golden and then she'd get what she wanted- a big fat deal with Darius.

Mood elevated, she turned back toward the room of women and made her way to the closest group. It was time to play.

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_**"He's like…totally gorgeous. I mean, like, who wouldn't like him, right? Seriously, you'd have to be crazy to ignore that beautiful hair, those perfect teeth. Plus, he wears really expensive shoes. I like that in a man."**_

**-Tori Lynn, 21 yrs old, Atlanta GA, US**

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After twenty minutes of listening to random girls talk about little Tommy Q and his 'cute little butt' and his 'dreamy eyes' and just about how 'hot' he was in general, Jude was ready to stab herself. Repeatedly. Especially when the girls started giggling. It was like that was all they knew how to do. Everything was funny, or at least they all thought so.

One of the girls, Brianna, was already a little more than tipsy. She was the one with the excessive giggling problem. "I'm just trying to get my chance with my soul mate," she slurred and then giggled holding out a champagne glass for more bubbly. The girl doling out the champagne was more than happy to top off Brianna's glass. In fact, Jude was fairly certain that Scarlet, the chain-smoking nurse from Colorado, knew exactly what she was doing by plying Brianna with alcohol. She had to admire the woman a little bit. Three hours in and she was already working a strategy. If Brianna got too drunk, especially on this first night, she wouldn't be coherent enough to talk to Tommy or impress him. Then Brianna would probably go 'buh-bye'.

The girl sitting next to Jude was silently observing. Her name was…it was…shit, what was it?

"Marissa…" Brianna called out, waving her glass of champagne, spilling the bubbly liquid all over the heart-shaped cheesefest of a couch they were all sitting on. Marissa, Jude reminded herself. That was right. It was a sad day when a drunk girl could remember names better than Jude could sober. Brianna was warbling on about discovering Marissa's real reasons for being in the house.

"I saw you roll your eyes when he drove…on the motor…on the bike." She could barely get her accusing words out, but the words, garbled as they were, sparked the rest of the group's interest and all their eyes landed on the brown-haired beauty. To her credit, the girl didn't squirm under the scrutiny. There was no fidgeting or adjusting of clothing, although she certainly should think about doing so. Her fake breasts were about to fall out of her corset.

"If I want to roll my eyes, I'll roll my fucking eyes," Marissa punctuated her words with an exaggerated eye roll. "No offense to Tommy Q, because I know he had that whole bad-boy image back in the day, but that motorcycle bit was a little over-the-top."

Jude almost choked on her champagne. Heh. That was funny. Maybe Marissa could hold her own with Tommy. She could definitely recognize bullshit even if she couldn't dress herself appropriately. "That doesn't mean that I'm not into him though," Marissa's tone changed and she sat up a little straighter. Jude had to avert her eyes as the girl's thong suddenly made an appearance as she sat forward on the couch. Didn't anyone wear full-assed underwear anymore? Seriously, it was like women were purposely torturing themselves. If she were a guy there was no way she'd think it was sexy to pull that out of girl's ass to take her panties off. "Motorcycle shit aside, there's more to the guy than meets the eye. He seems like he's complex and he has layers. And his eyes are to die for. And, allowing myself to be on the shallow side for a minute, he's got a great butt."

And they were back to the butt talk.

That was officially her cue to exit. Hearing the girls go on and on about Tommy's physical traits wasn't her idea of a good time. It was ridiculous. She understood that they were all there for Tom, but was it really necessary for the entire conversation to revolve around how sexy his ass was? She had nothing against Tommy's ass and even agreed with their assessment of its general 'yumminess' but all that ass talk wasn't giving her any opportunities to learn about the girls' real personalities. Although it was amusing to hear them talk about all the things that they just 'knew' Tommy loved. Jude wondered if they'd gotten their info from one of the many unauthorized biographies floating around about Boyz Attack.

Parker, who seemed sort of buddy-buddy with devious Nurse Scarlet, had practically started to salivate over a tattoo Tommy had on his ass. The girl had even tried to describe it and it had taken all of Jude's willpower not to burst into laughter. There was no tattoo. She would know; she'd been witness to enough 'moonings' to testify that Little Tommy Q's ass was unadorned. Of course that didn't mean there weren't tattoos other places.

As Jude wandered around, reluctantly looking for more females to assess, her stomach growled, a vicious reminder that she hadn't eaten since her breakfast, when Tommy had begged for her to come see him. That had been her first mistake of the day. If she'd ignored his whining, none of this would have happened. Her hair would still be red and she'd be on her way to New Brunswick for a week of home cooked meals and embarrassing tales of Tommy's childhood, all courtesy of Tommy's mom. Instead she was stuck wishing she was wearing full-assed underwear and begging God to strike her dead so she wouldn't have to live in a house of skanks and watch Tommy take turns making out with each of them.

Heading toward the buffet table, hidden by the kitchen, Jude cursed herself for giving in. As she rounded the corner, thoughts of Tommy and 'if only' were replaced as her mouth started to water at the sight of the food laid out. There was every type of fruit imaginable, cut up and arranged like a guitar. It even had grapes in rows to make up the frets. She smirked at the lameness but eagerly went to work demolishing the display. The rest of the girls wouldn't care. They probably hadn't eaten a real meal since they'd hit puberty and she wouldn't be surprised if they all starved themselves and refused to eat around Tommy. If they did, he might accidentally mistake them for actual humans.

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_**"Tommy's like the perfect male protagonist. He's gorgeous and witty and a bit naughty, which I must admit I enjoy. The bad boy part of him has its obvious appeal, although I'm interested to see if there's anything beyond that."**_

**-Katie O'Connor, 25 yrs old, Toronto by way of Northern Ireland**

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Ah, Jesus, he wanted to gag. Apparently each girl thought it was her job to stick her tongue as far down his throat as humanly possible. In a normal situation, he might not mind, but he wasn't used to being pursued like this, to the exclusion of everything else. If this had been a club he'd have honed in on one girl and spent the evening coaxing and seducing her into his bed. There would have been lots of kissing. But this…this was a whole other ballgame and he found that it was not even remotely arousing. The girls were beautiful, he couldn't deny that. But honestly, a lot of beautiful women had come in and out of his life and so far, with this group of beauties, it was all flash without substance. That and he was seriously starting to wonder if he was going to need a prescription for little blue pills. Dominique, the girl with the big ass, had been grinding in his lap and … nothing, nada. Not even a twinge. Just the urge to shove her off his lap into the pool.

Tommy took a deep breath. He'd escaped the other girls with the excuse that he needed to use the bathroom, so he was going to head that way and hopefully get a minute to himself, maybe even see if he could find Jude.

He was walking past the untouched buffet table, knowing that the girls would be avoiding the food, when he spotted an ass sticking up in the air, from underneath the table.

His cock twitched and his entire body was flooded with relief and renewed interest. He said a silent prayer of thanks to the little baby Jesus that his dick was still working and went to investigate the ass that had just reaffirmed his manhood. The woman deserved a fucking gold medal…or maybe just a fucking. He smirked. That would have to wait. He should probably at least talk to her first.

He approached the table slowly to wait for her to crawl out from underneath so he could formally introduce himself. He could hear mumbling and some mild cursing and then she was backing out, ass first. More of her came into view, a slender waist and sleek blonde hair that trailed down a leather-clad back. The hair covered her face as she stood and tossed whatever she'd picked up from the floor onto the table. The leather vest she had on left her arms bare and a delicate hand with a star tattoo, identical to his own, adorned her right hand ring finger, visible when she pushed the hair behind her ear and that's when he realized…

"JUDE!?" he barked out with disbelief.

She jumped slightly, startled by his sudden appearance. "Jesus, Quincy. You scared me."

His eyes went back to the star tattoo before returning to her face. That damn tattoo was the only thing he recognized. They'd gotten them together on her eighteenth birthday and it was apparently the only thing that hadn't been changed. "What the fuck did you do to yourself?" he bit out, not at all happy to find her looking so…different. Not only was she blond but she was wearing way too much make up and her clothes was too tight and…

Jude's eyes narrowed and her face flashed with obvious irritation. "_I_ didn't do this. EJ did. The least you could do is say 'Thank You' to me for making this kind of sacrifice for you." Her index finger was poking him in the chest and he was about to say something he probably shouldn't when he realized they were drawing an audience. The other girls were starting to swarm in and he had to remember that Jude was supposed to be one of them.

He flashed a fake smile, hissing between clenched teeth. "We will talk about this later."

Jude's lips parted, revealing perfect teeth, her smile insincere, and her sharp words belying the grin. "Not if you're going to be a _prick_."

"I barely recognized you," he went on unhappily. "And you look like…like… a slut."

He saw her flinch, blinking at the words, even as the smile remained plastered on her features. "I really hope you didn't mean that." The forced smile faltered then and she walked away from him, aware of the cameras rolling, catching the entire exchange. There were girls off to the side, curious expressions on their faces and Jude knew they were going to start whispering about her as soon as she left the room. The battery pack from her mic was digging into her back and she realized that not only had the entire scene been filmed but everything Tommy had just said had been heard by the crew.

Heat flashed in her face, embarrassed tears threatened to escape and her steps came quicker, moving her towards the bathroom she'd been hiding in earlier. She didn't understand Tommy or why he seemed to be doing his best to hurt her the past couple of days. All this…change, being thrust into this situation was almost more than she could take.

Marcus came after her this time. She let him into the bathroom and watched in the mirror as he fidgeted uncomfortably behind her while she attempted to fix the makeup she'd managed to cry away.

"Are you okay?" he finally managed to ask.

Jude could see that he was concerned but she had a hard time believing that the concern was for her personally. It had been his idea for her to be a part of the show and if she messed up, he would look bad.

"I'll be ready in a minute." She kept her face blank, a literal 'mask' almost in place. In the ten minutes since she'd run away from Tommy, she'd given herself an internal pep talk to rival all internal pep talks. She was here to advance her career and that meant doing what she'd promised Darius so that he would hold up his end of their deal. As for Tommy…well, right now he could go screw himself.

Marcus was silent, watching her, hands shoved into the pockets of his sagging corduroys. "I'm sure he didn't mean what he said," he offered.

Jude glared. "Don't you have cameras to direct?"

He looked like he was going to say something else but stopped when he saw the annoyance on her face. He cleared his throat. "We need you out there, spying on the girls. It would be really great if you could start something, stir up a little trouble."

"Gladly." She was in just the mood now. She ran her fingers through her hair and turned to Marcus. "Just tell me what you want and I'll do it."

He nodded and flashed her a smile as he walked her out of the bathroom toward the rest of the girls. "For the record, you look great as a blonde…softer."

Jude looked away from him, surprised by the compliment. A blush stole over her features and a nervous laugh escaped her lips. "Thanks. Now…uh…lead me towards trouble. I'm ready to get started."

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_**"I want to take up every inch of space he has in his heart. He does not need any other woman except me. I will make sure he does not want one. It is duty of woman to fulfill every hope and whim of the man, this way he does not cheat. Failure to do this results in a cheating man. I am very good at satisfying. I will make Thomas Quincy fall in love with me. That is my goal."**_

**-Saskia Alexandrei, 26 yrs old, Russia**

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After Jude ran off, Tommy was swarmed by more girls, all vying for is attention, each trying to one up the other. More tongues were shoved into his mouth and now, even as he was making out with one of the most beautiful girls in the whole room, he felt detached. It was like an out of body experience and the only thing his brain could process was that he'd just told Jude, his best friend in the whole world, that she looked like a slut. What kind of horrible person was he? It was like 'Little Tommy Q', boybander extraordinaire, with the ego and apathy had returned with a vengeance, not caring who he hurt just as long as he got what he wanted.

He'd seen the hurt flash in her eyes at his words, seen her flinch and it was like a lead weight had settled in his gut.

And now she was talking with Marcus, smiling, laughing and it was eating him up. The fact that his mouth was still attached to the Irish girl's mouth and his eyes were looking at another, didn't even register.

Jude's gaze shifted in his direction and he pulled his mouth away, ignoring the closed eyes and moaning from…Was her name Katie? She was licking her lips and coming towards him again but all he could see was the look of disgust on Jude's face. Then her features shuttered and without another glance in his direction, she turned and walked away.

Seeing Tommy macking on some girl with red hair was beyond irritating. But she was determined to get through the evening with as much dignity as possible. That's why she was hiding around a corner, plastered to the wall with her eyes closed while she counted to ten to calm herself down. She was starting to think she might not make it out alive, let alone with anything resembling dignity. When she reached sixty-eight, she took a deep breath and then went to seventy-five before moving away from the wall. What she needed was a little liquid courage, so she made her way to bar.

A striking woman with long, black hair streaked with Pepsi can blue, was making herself a drink. As Jude approached the woman lifted her head and offered a nod. "You want?" she gestured to the bottle of Bacardi in her hands and Jude nodded yes and reached for a can of Diet Coke to mix with it.

She sighed and scanned the bar. "You would think they'd have a larger selection and some decent tequila." With a shrug she looked back at Jude. "I'm Persephone Kore. If you're a friend you can call me Sephe. If you're a foe, then just don't call me at all." She extended her hand in greeting.

"Jude." She shook the offered hand. "Let's be frenemies for now. We can figure the rest out when we get to know each other a little better."

"Sounds fair. You came in late, right?" Sephe asked.

Jude finished mixing the drink before answering, her expression thoughtful. "I guess you could say I had a work emergency."

Sephe was sipping her own drink by then and several other girls joined them around the bar. Jude tried to smile as they introduced themselves, but cringed inwardly, wishing they were all required to wear nametags.

"What do you do for work?" A brunette, with boobs too big for her petite frame, asked. Like most of the other women milling around, she was clad in clothing that barely covered her generous curves.

Jude realized that she should have kept her damn mouth shut about work. Shit. She smiled, her upteenth fake, friendly smile of the evening. "Oh. I'm an assistant for a..uh…celebrity."

"Oooh. Who is it? Someone we'd know?" Summer's entire posture changed as she asked and Jude's celebrity 'groupie' radar went off. She looked entirely too interested.

Jude shook her head. "Nah. He's kind of washed up. A total douche bag, really."

A throat cleared behind her and Jude turned her head to see Tommy standing there, glaring at her. She flashed her brightest smile, knowing he'd overheard her comment.

"Mind if I steal Summer for a second?" he asked, all smooth charm and bedroom eyes.

The poor girl practically passed out, but other than spilling her drink, she got herself together and eagerly followed Tommy. Jude couldn't help rolling her eyes as she watched them walk away. Her eyes landed on Sephe, who wasn't bothering to hide her grin.

"So I take it you have a low bullshit tolerance?"

Jude laughed for the first time that night. Maybe not every girl was going to be a totally worthless bitch.

"That's an understatement." She paused and popped a pretzel from the bowl on the counter into her mouth. "As you already mentioned, I was sort of a late arrival. Care to fill me in?"

Sephe agreed and led Jude away from the bar and over to a spot by the patio doors where almost everyone was visible. "I had the unfortunate honor of being the first girl to get here, so I made an effort to talk to everyone as they arrived."

"And you didn't turn tale and run? I'm impressed."

The raven haired beauty rolled her eyes. "I probably should have but…eh, I'm always up for new experiences."

Jude could believe that. This woman looked like she'd seen it all and she couldn't have been older than 25. "Don't keep me in suspense. Let's hear the dirty details." She sounded more interested than she actually was, but she knew there was a camera crew filming their conversation. This was what Marcus wanted. Jude was stirring the pot…there was no better way to do that than to get another girl to give her unedited reaction to the other girls.

"Well, okay…there." She pointed to their right. Three women were lounging out by the pool, each occupying a chaise. "That chick with the dark hair and big ass is Dominique. She got here right after I did and talking to her was worse than getting a root canal. Thick Brooklyn accent, sort of hard to follow. Something tells me she's seen more ass than a rental car."

Jude snickered. "What about the one next to her? The head-to- toe, leather girl." Seriously, she was covered in the stuff. Oddly enough, the leather might have been overkill on someone else but it fit the woman like a second skin. Jude was simultaneously intimidated by the tall red head and jealous of her fabulous hair.

"That's Diana. She's American. Originally from D.C.. Apparently she got some sort of promotion and moved to Toronto. She's sort of…" Sephe looked thoughtful and then lowered her voice. "I think she might be into some really kinky shit. I saw her unpacking earlier and I'm pretty sure she pulled out some whip-like thing and pair of handcuffs. Now I'm not exactly opposed to a little bondage, but she just seems…off. If I were Little Tommy Q, I'd be careful."

Oh, Jesus. This was too much. Not only were these women desperate, they were kinky and desperate. Tommy was going to be in trouble.

"Okay…duly noted. Stay away from Dominatrix Di." Jude's eyes shifted to the woman next to Diana and widened. Holy. Mother. Of. God. Those were the biggest breasts she'd ever seen. "Who's that?"

Sephe snorted. "Saskia, the Russian whore. At least that's what I'm calling her."

"What is that interesting…ensemble she's wearing?" The woman was beautiful in an exotic way but seemed '_off_' somehow. She was wearing this very odd black dress. It looked like it was covered in some kind of animal fur. "Apparently she likes dead animals," Jude cringed as she spoke. She wasn't a vegetarian but she wasn't a fan of real fur either. "I've never seen fur quite like that before," she commented idly, taking a sip of her drink as she squinted at the long fur accenting the dress.

"That's because it's human hair."

Jude started choking, coughing violently as the Bacardi/cola combo went down her windpipe. Her eyes started watering as she continued to cough and gasp for breath. Sephe started pounding on her back. "You okay?"

Jude nodded, wiping her mouth off with the back of her arm, face still red from the coughing. She straightened and cleared her throat.

"Sorry about that," Sephe apologized with a wry grin. "I asked her about the hair earlier and she asked if I wanted to help her brush it. The woman is cracked. I wouldn't be surprised if she was like…Russian mafia or something either. "

Jude was still trying to clear her throat and wrap her mind around the human hair wearing bimbo.

"She used to be a phone sex operator," Sephe went on. "She's actually really proud of it, not at all shy."

They were both ignoring the obvious…that the Russian phone-sex operator had boobs that would put Dolly Parton to shame. There was no way in hell they were real. No fucking way.

Boobs aside, all of those girls Sephe had just pointed out looked a little…tough. Maybe too tough for Tommy. He liked a woman who could stand up for herself, but ultimately he wanted to play protector, to be the one in control.

"Any helpful insights on the others?" Jude was getting a headache and the thought of actually forcing herself to meet the other woman made her head spin.

Sephe gave her a quick breakdown of the rest of the girls. It was fast and bare bones, but it was enough to give her at least a little bit of insight into the girls that she hadn't had the privilege of meeting.

Karma was a bitch. Straight up. She was probably only there to advance her "singing career", something she'd told everyone about as soon as she could work it into a conversation. Jude already knew that Brianna was a drunk, so she didn't need help there. And Parker, well, she had a shady look about her. She was sort of uptight, like she had a secret. Mackenzie had quickly aligned herself with Karma although, upon observation they spent most of the evening putting everyone down and trying to one-up each other. Tori Lynn was the southern belle of the bunch and she bore a slight resemblance to Kate Hudson. Which was funny because Tommy was not a fan of Kate Hudson and hadn't been since she'd made fun of him and his Boyz Attack dancing at The Viper Room during a party for P. Diddy a couple of years back. Jude had been there, just as drunk as everyone else and had almost peed herself when Kate did her impression of him, but Tommy had gotten pissed. He still refused to see any movies she was in.

"Do you like any of them?" Jude couldn't keep the amusement out of her voice and Sephe offered up a sheepish grin.

"Except for Corey who, looks like a hot Candace Cameron, I feel like they're all pretty fake and I'm sure there's a few hidden agendas."

"What about you? Why are you here?" Sephe had willingly spilled info on everyone else in the house, but hadn't divulged anything about herself. She shrugged at Jude.

"Well…I like to call myself a 'hair-apist'. You come in, get a haircut and therapy session for the price of a haircut. I'm 26 years old and I am here because …if I said curiosity, would that sound odd? I've been a lot of places, met a lot of people. I've gotten to be a pretty good judge of character, especially doing what I do every day. The curiosity is probably more about the experience, but I will admit that, back in the day, I had a crush on Little Tommy Q. Boyz Attack is on my iPod playlist. But, that said, I think there's more to Tom Quincy than that and I'd like to find out about the man behind the boyband."

Jude wasn't sure how to respond. It was an honest answer and it was ten times worse than hearing those other skanks go on and on about how hot Tommy's ass was or how they were going to fuck him and blah, blah, blah. That she could handle, even if it made her want to gag. But this, the honestly and just…the entire package. It was… "Jesus, now _I_ want to date you," she finally managed to joke.

Sephe laughed. "Okay, so I told, now what about you?"

Jude waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Well, he's got a hot ass of course. That and I'm beyond curious to find out if his dick lives up to the hype. Like when giants are called tiny and so on…"

Both girls burst into laughter, settling them firmly into the friends category. But that didn't mean Jude wasn't going to tell the other girl any more than she had to. She hadn't memorized her fake back-story yet and she didn't want to say anything she might forget later. "Come on, let's go talk to Corey and see if we can dig up some dirt on the other girls."

Corey was refreshingly nice, normal even. She was sincere and quick to point out that there was no mental illness in her family history despite the fact that she'd decided to come on the show. After five minutes of talking with her, Jude was convinced that she was the girl Tommy should pick. And the fact that she really did bear a rather striking resemblance to a grown up Candace Cameron was another plus. Although whether Jude thought she was 'the right' girl for Tommy wouldn't really matter if he decided that one of the other girls would suit his purposes better. With everything that would happen once his album dropped, he might be better off with superficial, arm-candy, someone who wanted the spotlight and not a love-match. Which wouldn't be different from any other girl he'd dated.

Sephe rejoined Jude and Corey, glancing over her shoulder briefly at the group of girls she'd just left. "Oh dear god, I think I just met the stupidest girl…ever."

There seemed to be a lot of options, so Jude wasn't convinced that any one girl could lay claim to 'stupidest'.

"Tori Lynn just spent fifteen minutes talking about shoes. I don't think she even paused to breathe. It's like she's a walking encyclopedia of shoe knowledge." Sephe was torn between fascination and disbelief.

"Then she's not exactly stupid," Jude pointed out.

"Yeah, but who cares that much about shoes? Every time I tried to ask her a question, she had to throw in some 'shoe' fact or make a comment on someone else's shoes. She actually guessed the brand, size and year my shoes were made while I was standing there."

"Really?" Now Corey was fascinated. "Maybe she's one of those idiot savants."

Both Sephe and Jude snickered and then the dark haired girl's eyes narrowed, zoning in on Jude's feet. "Miss Tori Lynn also said that you, Jude, are wearing shoes that aren't even available publicly yet." Her eyebrow rose questioningly as she looked up from the shoes.

Jude cursed EJ and her fashion-forward ways. "I told you I worked for a celebrity, right? Well, these were part of one of those swag bags they get at awards shows. He lets me have whatever he doesn't want. Clearly women's shoes aren't his thing," she covered. It sounded lame but the women seemed to by the explanation and she tried to reroute the conversation. "Okay, so we now know that Tori Lynn has a shoe fetish. Diana is into pain and Dominique seems to be looking for a free ride. Saskia is a Russian fruitcake with watermelon tits and I'm pretty sure the other girls are nutso as well. Present company excluded, of course," Jude quickly qualified. She was starting to feel a little tipsy. Probably because she'd had three drinks and nothing to eat since eleven that morning.

"We're just going to have to stick together. We can be the only sane girls in the house," Corey volunteered.

The girls clinked glasses in a toast. "Here's to our sanity."

Jude was about to put the glass to her lips when warm, callused fingers wrapped around her bare arm, halting the motion.

"I need to steal Jude away from you ladies. She's one of my VIP's and I haven't had any time with her." Tommy's voice was smooth and a little husky and Jude fought a shiver at the tone. She'd almost forgotten about him. Almost being the key word. It was hard to forget about the reason she'd ended up in this mess, but meeting two potential allies had made up for it. Sort of.

She turned her head and her eyes immediately clashed with Tommy's. He was smiling, but it didn't reach the blue-grey depths and she knew that she really didn't want to spend the next sixty seconds with him, let alone a whole ten minutes. Especially not if he was going to be a prick again.

His fingers slid down her arm to clasp their hands together. He didn't say anything else, just pulled her along with him. He wasn't expecting a fight, and she didn't offer one; maybe another time. Right now, she just didn't have any fight in her, not when those three drinks had her tearing up, just a little, as he held her hand, the gesture so familiar and comforting.

She was in emotional upheaval. She wanted to keep this all very business-like and platonic. But he was her best friend and she was pissed at him for being such an ass to her and at the same she wanted to drag him away from all of this because he was not 'her' Tommy right now. And she'd had at least four drinks, not three. Three wouldn't make her this emotional.

He took her outside to a secluded section of the patio/pool area and as soon as they were out of sight of the rest of the women, she tugged her hand out of his grasp, needing he distance from him.

"Jude…" he started.

"What? Am I hurting your eyes with my bad dye job and slutty clothes?" she snarked.

"Babes, you know I didn't mean what I said. I was just in shock. I mean I wasn't expecting you to look so-so…"

"I don't like you right now," she bit out somewhat childishly. "Just leave me alone."

His whole face distorted with panic. "I am really sorry," he pleaded. "And I'm so glad you're here," his hands reached to touch her but she stepped back. "You have no idea, Jude. These women, they're all Succubi and this is a nightmare. A big, scary, reality TV nightmare."

"Succubi?" Her brow quirked and she looked at him with disbelief before frowning. "You can't take it out on me, though. I don't even want to be here," her bottom lip quivered and Tommy's gut clenched. "I didn't want any of this," she gestured to herself, pulling on a lock of hair as a tear escaped the corner of her eye.

Not able to just leave her alone, he pulled her to him, ignoring her initial protest and wrapping his arms around her, whispering, "I'm sorry," repeatedly into her hair. They stood there, just like that, his fingers running through her hair. After a few moments he pulled back, kissing her cheeks and running his thumbs under her eyes to wipe away the wetness there. "I'm so sorry for dragging you into this," he told her softly.

She nodded and let out a half-laugh. "I guess I could have said no." She sniffled then and wiped her runny nose on the back of her hand before rubbing it against her jeans.

His gaze was affectionate, his eyes crinkling at the corners, amusement dancing there as he offered up the first genuine smile of the evening. "I'd offer up my shirt for a snot-rag, but I think EJ would kill me."

Jude laughed again and he leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. "I know it's selfish, but I am glad you're going to be here. I was really going to miss you."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. You're going to be too busy sucking face with all of those girls," she scoffed and then raised her eyes curiously. "Just how many girls have you made out with tonight, Quincy? This has got to be, like, a record for you."

"Jealous?"

"Gah…no way."

"It's okay, Jude. I get it. You feel left out. You wanna make out with me, especially after the way all those girls have been waxing poetically about my amazing kissing skills."

"You wish Quincy." She shoved playfully at his chest.

Teasing aside, he looked down into her face. "We okay?"

Their eyes locked and Jude nodded, biting her lower lip. "Just be nicer, okay?"

The vulnerability in the request made his throat tighten with emotion. He let his thumb brush against the curve of cheek. "I promise, Big Eyes."

Things settled between them, Jude straightened and decided to get down to business. "Okay, we probably don't have much time left, but I'm under strict orders to give you the 411 on all your little playmates here."

"Lay it on me, Babes. Tell me who to toss out on their tight ass."

She paused. "That sounded very Brokeback of you, Quincy. Would you like to rephrase that?"

He glared. "Just tell me who should go home."

She giggled. "Okay. I think you should get rid of Karma, but Marcus already told me that he wants her to stay because she's drama-causing whore. So my next suggestion would be Saskia, the Russian, human hair wearing, skank. But Marcus vetoed that one too. Apparently the camera loves her tits."

Tommy snorted. He'd never seen boobs that big before, not in his entire life. And he was usually a breast man, but these…they were too much. A man couldn't motorboat that shit without suffocating.

"I've since decided that any of the girls with personality aren't really on the chopping block for this first elimination," Jude explained. "Marcus and Darius want drama, so tonight we're eliminating all the snoozers. So 'Yay!' the skanks get to stay. That means that you should send home….drum roll please…"

All he gave her was an eye roll but she went on anyway. "Courtney, Leigh Anne and Lisa."

Tommy tried to picture those three girls but couldn't match the names to faces. "I don't know who those three are," he admitted.

"Then you won't miss them, will you?"

"Smart ass. Now…quick. Give me the reasons why they're going. Marcus said I have to tell them, with my 'sincerest regrets', why they aren't going to be my Rock of Love."

"Courtney doesn't know who Bob Dylan is," she told him, her facial expression one of mock horror. "That's just wrong."

"That bitch," he dryly agreed. "What about Lisa?"

"Eh…she's just not good enough for you. Marcus told me she's been following the camera crew around to make sure she's in all the shots. I'm pretty sure I overheard her telling another girl that she's done a couple of porn movies."

"Ah…the porn star. Even I say no to that. Next…Leigh Anne?"

"I think she's too young for you. You know how much you hate sleeping with nightlights."

"I'm not even going to argue."

Jude smirked. "You're only saying that because you can't remember who's who."

"While that may be true, I also happen to trust your judgment. If it makes you feel any better, I will at least go pretend to deliberate."

Jude punched his arm. "That's the spirit. You do that while I go back and distract the vultures."

He laughed and pulled her in for a quick hug, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "I'd tell you to be good, but there's no point." She shoved him back, smiling as he walked away, head turned to grin back at her before he disappeared inside the house.

Their exchange had not gone unnoticed. Camera's filmed it all from a safe distance, capturing the hugs and kisses, while the sound tech guys recorded every word. Marcus had given strict instructions to make sure they got plenty of footage of Jude. He had a feeling that she was going to be a big part of the show.

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They'd given him an hour to deliberate before setting up the scene for the 'elimination ceremony'. It was more time than he'd actually needed, but the women had required a few 'touch-ups' before they started. That poor girl, Jenny, was going to regret taking the makeup artist job. She'd probably have to be on call all the time.

Now, the women were all lined up, standing in front of him, waiting for his decision. He scanned their faces and fought back the urge to laugh. Some of them looked pretty confident, like they knew they weren't going anywhere and then there were some that were ready to cry. It was exceedingly clear that these women were here for many different reasons, and not a single one of those reasons was to win his heart. They were using this show for their own purposes, just like he was. Even Jude, whose bored expression bordered on amusing, was here for a reason other than him. He hadn't figured out what that was yet, but he knew that Darius had said something to convince her.

He didn't have any more time to think about it. Big Lou stepped up next to him holding fifteen 'backstage passes' in his hands. One for each of the women that would stay in the house until the next elimination ceremony. There were cameras set up on each side of the room and one of the production assistants was diligently holding up the cue cards for Tommy to read from. Marcus gave him a quick nod and Tommy focused all his attention on the women, offering up his best smile.

"First, I want to thank all of you for being here with me." Years of experience had trained him to read the cue cards without letting on that he was actually reading the cards. It was like reading the prompt screens at awards ceremonies. He may have been a junior high dropout, but reading had never been an issue and he was thankful for that. Especially because, as he got better at this, it was going to take less time to get through these things. He made the words as sincere as he could, randomly glancing at each girl and making eye contact. "You're all amazingly beautiful and it's been an honor to have each of you here, joining me for, what I really think is going to be, an amazing experience."

His eyes landed on Jude and as soon as she realized he was looking at her, she stuck her finger up her nose and went cross-eyed, trying to mess him up. It worked and he had to bite down on his lip to keep from laughing.

"Cut!" Marcus yelled, clearly irritated. "Jude! Could you please…"

She shrugged innocently. "Sorry. I had a booger." She pretended to wipe it on the shoulder of the girl in front of her, who screeched with disgust. Meanwhile, Tommy had to turn away to hide his laughter, which only got worse when he heard Marcus telling Jude, sternly, to ask for a Kleenex the next time.

Tommy got himself under control and turned around to see all the other girls giving Jude disgusted looks. While her inappropriate goofiness, was probably alcohol induced, it did help relieve a little of the groups' tension. It had certainly helped Tommy loosen up. They started the speech over and he made it through the whole thing with a straight face. Big Lou handed him the first pass, the name of the girl conveniently written on it, and he called her name.

"Tori Lynn."

She immediately squealed and ran toward him and he realized that she was the one who looked like his mortal enemy, Kate Hudson. The five minutes he'd spent with Tori earlier had been a mind suck that revolved around her complimenting his shoes. She reached him and grabbed his hands, a wide smile plastered on her face, looking like she'd just won the lottery.

He forced a smile back and continued on with the speech Marcus and Darius had insisted he give when he picked each girl. "Tori Lynn, will you accept this backstage pass to stay in the house and try to be my _Rock of Love_?"

Muffled laughter came from the back row of girls and he knew it was Jude. He didn't have time to react to his obviously tipsy best friend, because Tori Lynn was screaming "Yes!" and then she stepped forward and pressed her lips to his, thrusting her tongue in his mouth.

_Note to self_, he thought as he tried to extricate himself without losing his tongue, _Tori Lynn is not a good kisser_.

One girl down. Fourteen to go.

In torturous succession Karma, Mackenzie, Parker, Summer, Dominique, Scarlett, Brianna, Marissa, Persephone, Corey, Diana, and Katie all received their passes, each of them just as enthusiastic as Tori Lynn. The only real hiccup was Diana, the tall redhead wearing the black leather, biting his tongue. They had to stop taping while it bled and one of the assistants had to get Tommy some water to rinse the blood from his mouth.

Now there were just two passes left.

"Saskia…" he said her name and then his eyes widened as the Russian titty-monster came at him. He tried to make himself look at her face, but he couldn't stop staring at her chest as she got closer and closer. Her tits were just…_huge_. His eyes kept going back and forth, looking away and then at them and each time it happened he was expecting to realize he'd been imagining things and they were just normal breasts. Not so.

Saskia eagerly pressed her large chest to him and gave him the sloppiest, wettest tongue kiss he'd ever received. For a second he was actually afraid he might choke on her tongue. She wasn't letting him breathe and he had to shove her away from him. Big Lou directed her back to her spot and handing Tommy the last pass of the night.

Four girls left.

Jude was the only one who didn't look ready to cry. The girls that were staying were relaxed now that they were safe, but they all watched closely, anticipating and wondering who his last choice would be.

He paused, dragging out the moment, already familiar with Marcus' penchant for dramatic effect.

He took a deep breath and then smiled. A real smile. "Jude, will you come down here?"

She smirked and stepped forward, gliding toward him, surprisingly steady on her feet. He repeated the question he'd asked fourteen other girls before her. She didn't squeal, but offered up a smug, "Sure. Why not?"

Tommy put the pass around her neck and before she could step back, he caught hold of her arm. "So do I get a kiss?" he teased.

Jude's eyes narrowed and something mischievous flashed in them before she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on tip toes to bring her face close to his. He could feel the soft rush of air as she exhaled and smell the alcohol on her breath. Instinctively his lips moved closer, only to feel her nose graze his cheek as she moved her mouth to his ear and whispered, "I'm not going to kiss you when you've had fourteen other tongues in your mouth." Her teeth grazed his earlobe and she leaned forward just a fraction of an inch and bit down gently, just enough to sting, before soothing the bite with her tongue.

Tommy went from hung to sprung in 0.3 seconds flat. He probably would have embarrassed himself if Marcus hadn't gestured wildly from behind the camera to catch his attention. Jude walked back to her spot and Tommy focused on the three girls that were going home. He told them thank you again and then offered to walk them out.

He felt bad that they were crying, but knew the tears weren't really for him so much as the lost opportunity to be on the show. And if they were crying over him, well, that was too bad. Knowing someone for five minutes did not make that person the love of your life, even if you had every single one of their records and knew all of the dances to their songs.

It was party time after the elimination and Jude was on her way to get another drink when she was stopped by Tommy's chest. "Hi!" she offered brightly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled down at her.

"How drunk are you?" he questioned.

She shrugged. "Eh…not too bad. The buzz is starting to wear off. I needed it to make it through that gross germ swapping session you just participated in."

"Well, if you're not too tanked, how's about you meet me in my room later. I want to hear the real dirt on these women."

"Deal. I'll wait until they're asleep and sneak in," she whispered conspiratorially.

He said goodnight to the other girls, ignoring their protests, and took off for his room, desperate for the solitude it represented.

An hour and a half later, Jude was poking her head into his room. "You sober yet?" he called out from the bathroom when he heard her stumble inside.

"You idiot, you left your shit in front of the door," she complained as she walked into the bathroom where he was standing in front of the sink, clad in boxers and a t-shirt, flossing his teeth.

"That stuff is there to keep the hooligans out. Looks like it didn't work." She punched him and he winced as it hit the mark. "Guess your buzz has finally worn off. Nice to have bitchy Jude back."

"Be nice to me. That Brianna chick passed out in my bed. I'm pretty sure she's laying in her own puke right now." She hopped up onto the bathroom counter on the other side of the sink where he stood. "Why do you have two sinks?" she asked as she started to fiddle with the faucets.

"I don't know. It's just like that." Tommy watched her in the mirror. She was a little glassy-eyed still and he couldn't help but think she looked cute, with her mismatched pajama shorts and tank top. Her hair was pulled into a messy knot on the top of her head. "Did you steal those clothes from someone?"

Jude let out a sigh. "No. I have to make do with the clothes EJ found for me. Apparently your old t-shirts are not something reality TV whores can wear. I'm going to call Sadie tomorrow and see if she'll bring me some _real_ clothes." She paused. "I can't believe you get two sinks and I have to share a bathroom with four other girls," she complained.

"Use the sink in here, then. I don't care."

Another dramatic sigh escaped her lips, the force of it lifting her bangs from her forehead. "I can't. The other girls will get suspicious." She sat back further on the counter until her back was against the mirror and bent her legs, resting her chin on her knees. "So…what did you think? Did you like the girls?" she asked while she watched him brush his teeth.

"Yeah, sure." His mouth was full of toothpaste and he gave a noncommittal shrug before spitting into the sink and running the water.

"No, I mean, did you have, like, an instant connection with anyone?" She looked genuinely curious and Tommy rinsed his mouth before turning to face her, leaning a hip against the edge of the counter.

"I don't know. The longest I really spent with any of the girls was ten minutes with Katie and that other one…"

Jude snorted. "Jesus, you're in trouble if you can't even remember their names."

He reached out and pinched her calf. "Cut me a little slack, Jude. I got distracted. There was a lot going on." And there had been. Not only had he been surrounded by seventeen new faces, but Jude had just…well, she'd thrown him for a loop. He hadn't expected the changes to her appearance and he'd been caught off guard, which led to their fight. After that he hadn't been able to focus.

He leaned forward and his fingers caught a lock of hair as it came out of its knot, rubbing the soft strands between the tips.

"I miss your red hair," he admitted with a wry grin.

Jude's shoulders hunched and Tommy inwardly cursed himself as he caught her teary-eyed gaze. A long sigh escaped her lips, followed by a sorrowful "Me too." Then she shrugged. "I suppose it was probably time to move past my red phase anyway."

Tommy's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Jude's eyes met his and she studied him before her lips shifted into a half-smirking grin. "You didn't really think I was a natural redhead, did you, Quincy?"

"What are you talking about? You've had red hair as long as I've known you."

"Didn't you pay attention to all of those pictures of Sadie and me as kids? Did you think we had another blonde sister stashed somewhere?"

"You're a real blonde?"

Jude's smirk deepened at the disbelief in his voice. "The drapes match the carpet now." His expression changed and she saw the glint in his eyes. "No. You can't see," she quickly added.

"I don't believe you," he shook his head and came closer.

She held him off with her hand. "Too bad. If you want to know, you can ask Sadie. I'm sure she's got a picture that would serve as proof."

"But that's no fun."

She smiled as he stood right in front of her. His hands moved to her waist and pulled her towards the edge of the counter as she spoke. "Torturing you is, though."

Before she could protest, he grabbed her, making her squeal as he lifted her up and over his shoulder like a potato sack and carried her out of the bathroom. His hand came up and smacked her butt as she tried to wriggle out of his grasp. Another squeal escaped as he tossed her onto the king-sized bed.

Jude started laughing and he raised a dark eyebrow as he stared down at her. "I could make you show me," he threatened. Her eyebrow quirked, almost like she was daring him to try. For a brief second he contemplated what he could do, but pushed the thought aside and collapsed on the bed next to her.

She turned her head towards him. "So, you never answered my question." His eyes were closed, but she knew he was still listening. "Was there anyone who made you 'stand at attention'?"

Tommy shifted next to her until their heads were sharing a pillow. He pulled the leopard print comforter up and over them, not meeting her gaze just yet. The only girl he'd 'stood at attention' for had been Jude, but he wasn't about to tell her that.

"I already told you. No. Now, you're supposed to be telling me what you found out."

She proceeded to regale him with the tales of her evening. "Tori Lynn has a shoe fetish," she told him. "I thought my gig was up when she started telling everyone that I was wearing next season's shoes. But I just told them it was swag from one of your celebrity functions."

"I remember the days of swag," Tommy sounded kind of nostalgic. "Haven't gotten any of that for awhile." He grinned. "Is that why you told those girls I was 'washed up'?"

"No. I said that because I was mad at you. And don't forget the part about you being a douche bag," she teased back and he tweaked her nose.

"Okay…let's see. I've decided that Sephe is going to be my honorary friend. We were frenemies at first, but she's hilarious and now I think I have a girl-crush."

Tommy's mouth dropped open. "I think I like this girl too. But only if your girl crush continues and I'm allowed to watch." As he finished the words, a fist met his solar plexis and he winced. "Why do you get to say perverted things whenever you want, but if I do it, I get hit? That doesn't seem fair, Jude."

"Life's not fair." She stuck out her tongue. "Do you wanna hear more, or do you wanna keep whining?"

"Fine. Finish."

"I'll make this quick. You can do whatever you want; get rid of whomever you want as long as you keep Corey. She's my pick for you. Did you get to talk to her at all?" Jude asked.

Tommy nodded.

"Well, what did you think?"

"I think that…you were right when you said she looked like Candace Cameron," he admitted. "And Corey's nice. She seems a lot different than the other girls. She didn't try to stick her tongue down my throat the first second we met, so that's a plus."

"That's because she's a mature woman and not a complete skank-bag. Her life is established and she'd be good for you." Jude knew she was being kind of pushy. She thought if she sounded like she really believed what she was saying, then Tommy would believe what she was saying.

He eyed her skeptically and shook his head. "She's probably too good for me. She's got picket fences and babies in her eyes and all I'm thinking about is getting my hands on my guitar and sneaking into the private studio in the garage."

Jude's head shot up from the pillow, eyes wide. "There's a private studio? Does that mean we can keep working on your album?"

Tom's gaze softened as he took in her eager expression. "I don't know if you're going to be able to help or not."

Her expression changed, conveying that she did not like that answer. "Fine. Back to your women. Keep Corey. Mostly because she's nice and sane and her clothes cover more than three triangles on her body."

"Okay," he ruffled her hair, messing up the knot. "Corey stays. Any other requests?"

Jude nodded and snuggled closer to him until she her head rested in the crook of his arm. "Yeah. Tell me a story."

"Tell you a story? Okay… once there were two girls named Sephe and Jude and they were lesbians and they let Jude's best friend Tommy watch."

She pinched his side and he yelped. "Goddammit, woman! That hurt."

"Sorry. That's what happens to naughty boys." Even as she said that she gently rubbed the spot she pinched.

"_You're_ the one that needs a good spanking. Like now, for teasing me with your girl-crush and hitting me and pinching me."

"Aw," Jude sat up, propping herself up to look down at Tommy's face. "I'm sorry." She leaned forward and kissed his nose. "Someday I'll make it up to you."

He was pretty sure the suggestive tone in her voice wasn't intentional, that it was just a huskiness brought on by the alcohol and the late night. But whatever the reason, visions of just how she could 'make it up' to him filled his head and he quickly tried to push them away, reaching out and guiding Jude's head back to its resting place. "Go to sleep, woman," he grumbled. "We can fight more in the morning."

TBC...

Disclaimer: song is "Maneater" by Hall and Oate


	6. Chapter 6

Okay...sorry it took so long to get this post up. Special thanks again to all the people that helped with this. You know who you are and someday I'll get a shoutout list posted so everyone else can know too. Quick Disclaimers: "It's Not My Time" belongs to 3 Doors Down. Other songs used are credited in the chapter. Thanks for reading...hope you like and let me know what you think!! hugs carey

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Chapter 6- _**"I'm Too Sexy"**_

_I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt  
So sexy it hurts_

_'Cos I'm a model you know what I mean  
And I do my little turn on the catwalk  
Yeah on the catwalk on the catwalk yeah  
I shake my little tush on the catwalk_

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The couple on the bed was a tangled mass of writhing, sweat-slicked limbs. Blonde hair spilled over pillows, the ends of the tousled strands resembling dancing flames. The woman's hands gripped the muscled shoulders of her lover, fingernails digging in with each rocking thrust. Tommy couldn't see her face, but from his position by the window, he could see everything else. Like the way her thighs spread and one long, lithe leg moved to wrap around the man's hips, pulling his body closer to hers. The dark head at her breast kept his attention focused there, mouth on a nipple, laving the rosy peak with his tongue. A muscular arm wrapped around her bottom, lifting her lower body closer, the thrusts going deeper. A grumbled, husky "I love you," escaped the man's lips and then he was kissing the woman until her neck arched, breaking the contact as a low keening cry rent the air, her whole body tightening as she came. Two seconds later, the man's deep groan of satisfaction followed and Tommy, at his seat by the window, was oddly satisfied at having witnessed the whole scene.

As he sat there, basking in the afterglow of the couple's lovemaking, the scene shifted, tugging at the strings of his consciousness, a small indication that this was, in fact, a dream that he was watching. It was like a mental fast forward and the couple was once again in the throes of lovemaking, although it was noticeably less urgent.

The woman had him on his back, arms anchored above his head. Not tied up, but held there by the promise that he wouldn't touch her, not yet anyway. Tommy wasn't sure how he knew, but he just did and as he sat there, still observing, his body clenched with anticipation. It was like he could feel everything the man was feeling even as he watched it all happen.

He eagerly admired the woman's body as she straddled the other man, settling herself carefully so that as much of her skin was rubbing again him as possible.

Tommy sucked in a breath as he watched her rub the tips of her breasts seductively against her lover's chest, hips sliding, a wet center rubbing against a rigid erection, and he felt his own body tingling as though he were the one experiencing her touch. Wild blonde hair fell like a curtain around her face, hiding it as she brought her lips to the man's. Tommy closed his eyes, the pressure on his lips startling and then the world shifted, like spinning on a merry-go-round and he was no longer watching and feeling the action. Instead he was staring up into laughing, lust-filled eyes, as nipples moved seductively, teasingly back and forth across his chest.

"Tommy," she whispered. "Tell me what you want?"

It all came blindingly into focus then. He'd been the man in the bed all along, making love to…

"Jude…" The words left his mouth on a groan as her hands slipped between their bodies and small, warm fingers wrapped possessively around his erection. Her touch was torture, gliding along the shaft with practiced ease, like she knew exactly what he liked.

He watched and felt each stroke, urging her on even as he wanted her to stop so he could bury himself inside her. Her hand moved faster and then her eyes met his. She was biting her bottom lip the way she always did when she was concentrating. "You can touch me now," she told him. His hands moved quickly, grabbing her and positioning her over him, helping her guide him to the place where they could finally join and as she sank down, hot, wet and slick over him, he groaned. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her face, from her lips and the way her teeth tugged on the bottom lip before parting and saying his name like a litany.

_Tommy. Tommy. Tommy… __**Jazzy Hands!**_

Wait a second. Jude's voice wasn't that deep or gruff and…

Tom's eyes popped open, startled to see Big Lou's face hovering nearby.

"Crew's here," was all the big man said before turning and moving out of the room faster than any man that large should be able to move.

Tommy felt anchored to the bed and as sleep receded, his senses began to register that Jude was draped over him. Her head was on his chest, arms thrown around him like she was clutching a pillow and he'd never been happier to be mistaken for an inanimate object. Her bare leg was thrown over his legs, knee bent, and thigh brushing the erection that he was sporting. The dream suddenly came back, in vivid detail, and he groaned out loud. Unconsciously he shifted and realized that his hand was caught, trapped and touching soft warm skin that wasn't his.

A cautious glance down revealed his hand, cupped underneath the hem of Jude's sleep shorts. The soft skin was a perfectly nice, pleasantly round, ass cheek.

Her thigh was still rubbing his erection through tented boxers, or more accurately he seemed to be moving unconsciously against her thigh.

_Shit! What was he doing?_

Trying to use Jude's leg to frott off, apparently.

He shifted quickly, trying to move away before the temptation became too great. His hand felt empty after he removed it from her body, but he ignored the sensation and focused on moving Jude away from him.

This seemed to be happening a lot. Waking up next to her. It wasn't remotely unpleasant but considering where they were, it hadn't been a good judgment call. But honestly, he'd needed her. Needed the reassurance of her presence, especially after the craziness of the day.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Tommy ran his fingers through his sleep mussed hair and ignored the morning wood that didn't want to deflate. Looked like he was headed for a cold shower.

Jude stirred behind him and he glanced over his shoulder to see her tank top bunched up beneath her breasts as she rolled to her back. Her shorts rode low on her hips, sagging down over a hip bone and then she arched her back, stretching, a soft mewling sound escaping her lips as her eyelashes fluttered.

She was awake.

If he had to sit there and watch her stretch and purr like a kitten, he was going to shoot his load. Tommy rose from the bed quickly, moving away from her towards the bathroom, growling at her to get him some coffee before the other girls woke up.

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_**"I'm not here to make friends or become 'BFF' with anyone. But if the situation calls for me to form an alliance with someone, I will. You could say that's already happened between me and Karma. We'll look out for each other and weed out the weaklings in our way."**_

**-Mackenzie, 24 yrs old, Toronto, ON**

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Mackenzie wasn't generally a morning person, but living in a house with fifteen strangers wasn't really conducive to a good night's sleep and so, after a mostly sleepless night, she decided to get up early and explore the mansion a little more thoroughly. That and maybe sneak some food. She had a strict no eating policy when other people were around, so she decided to take advantage of her insomnia and dig through the refrigerator.

She made it to the kitchen and was about to step inside when she heard humming. Not wanting to be seen, she hesitated before peeking around the corner.

It was that Jude girl. The gross one who picked her nose in front of Tommy but then refused to kiss him. And she'd hung out with Corey, who looked way too old for Tommy, and then that freak with the blue hair. As far as Mackenzie was concerned, none of those girls were good enough for Tommy.

Jude was humming and singing under her breath while she got coffee ready. Why was she making two cups?

Jude finished putting cream into one of the mugs and then grabbed both cups and made her way out of the kitchen. Plastering herself back against a wall, Mackenzie went unnoticed as Jude walked by. The urge to follow the other woman was too tempting to ignore and Mackenzie abandoned all thoughts of food in favor of seeing why Jude was headed down the hallway towards Tommy's suite instead of upstairs to the rooms all the girls were sharing.

Jude reached the double doors and Big Lou was there to let her in. Mackenzie couldn't see inside but she was fairly certain it was Tommy's deep voice saying "It's about time…"

The door shut, blocking out any other parts of the conversation.

Why the hell was Jude up taking coffee to Tommy this early in the morning? Okay, so it was after nine am, but still, none of the others were up…unless, maybe Jude was a huge slut and hadn't slept in her own bed.

Fuming, Mackenzie made her way back to the kitchen and hastily grabbed the first thing she could find to eat before marching upstairs to the room she was sharing with Karma. Not caring if she was rude, she stalked over to Karma's bed and yanked her sleep mask up, pushing at the woman's shoulder to wake her.

Karma's eyes snapped open, momentarily disoriented before she noticed Mackenzie next to the bed. "Did you need something?"

Mackenzie's arms were crossed over her chest and she looked ready to explode. "You'll never believe who I just saw going into Tommy's room…"

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By eleven o'clock that morning, every single one of the other women in the house had heard all about Jude and her morning excursion. She was now enemy number one. Parker had walked by Jude's room doing the fake cough-slut-cough routine while Saskia had taken great pleasure in calling Jude a slut to her face. Jude's 'It takes one to know one' reply was met with a blank stare when the Russian boob-slinger didn't understand.

Corey and Sephe were the only two giving Jude the benefit of the doubt, believing Jude's story about getting Tommy's coffee because Big Lou couldn't man the door and get it at the same time. Of course Jude felt a small stab of guilt at the lie, but she didn't want to alienate the only normal people in the house with the truth. Which was that she'd slept with Tommy, the man they were all after. It wouldn't matter that all they'd done was sleep. No one in their right mind would believe that, especially given the situation.

Karma and Mackenzie were the worst of them all and, as a result, the camera crew had been following them around while they did their secret plotting against Jude.

Marcus was thrilled. He'd cornered Jude earlier to tell her to keep up the good trouble-instigating work. She just nodded, plastered on a grin and gave him a thumbs up.

The whole coffee thing had been an honest mistake. She'd thought she was the only one up and so, she'd taken her time and hadn't bothered to check to see if anyone was around when she went back to Tommy's room. Her idea of causing trouble was making the girls think she was a gross nose picker. Although it was now abundantly clear that being a slut, in a house of sluts, who were really only mad because she had beaten them to the punch, was a far more expedient way of upping the drama quotient than simply being disgusting.

Tommy was completely oblivious to the new goings-on. After they'd had coffee that morning, Darius had called to tell him he was sending Kwest over to help in the studio until the challenge for that day needed to be filmed. So while he was off to make music, Jude took her ostracizing in stride. She got ready for the day quickly and moved herself out of the single room she'd been given as one of the VIPs. Brianna had puked in there the night before and Jude was more than okay with letting her have the room. Sephe graciously offered up the extra bed in her room and Jude spent the rest of her free time settling in and going through the wardrobe that EJ had assembled for her, hoping to find things that might pass for semi-comfortable.

It was close to lunch time when Big Lou showed up at the door less entry to her room. He thrust a small bag at her and said it was from her sister. Jude could have kissed Sadie when she saw what was inside the bag: underwear that would cover her whole ass, a couple of her favorite t-shirts and her best, most comfortable pair of jeans. There was a note in the bottom of the bag. All it said was _"You're crazy, but I can't wait to watch you on TV. Raise some hell. Love, Sades."_

Jude wanted to give Sadie a quick call to say Thank You, but her plans were thwarted as she and all the other women were ushered into the big living room with the heart-shaped couches. Marcus was there, directing the camera guys and then he was talking to Big Lou, who didn't look very happy. The big guy nodded finally and Marcus was back to directing, telling the girls to line up, but look 'relaxed' and 'casual'. Once everyone was in place, he nodded to Big Lou.

The burly bodyguard reluctantly stepped forward. "It's time for the first challenge. I have a note from Tommy to explain." The words were as stiff and uncomfortable as Big Lou looked and he practically threw the 'note' from Tommy to the closest female.

Karma eagerly snatched the note up and elbowed the girls trying to read it over her shoulder.

Sephe and Jude stood off to the side, the former looking as bored as the latter felt. Corey was over by a couple of the other girls, Tori Lynn and Katie. She seemed to be making quite a few friends in the house, probably because of her laid back personality. That and she was a really good listener. It allowed the others to blather on and on about themselves to someone who seemed to actually care what they had to say.

Corey caught Jude's gaze and rolled her eyes as Karma started reading.

_**"To my lovely 15. Sorry I can't be there to personally deliver this message but I'm busy making music magic in the studio."**_

That made Jude frown. She should have been in the studio with him. Instead she was watching Parker and Diana pose themselves for the camera.

_**"Because our time together is so limited, I've decided to throw a few challenges your way. The winners of each challenge will receive either a solo or group date with yours truly. The challenges are designed to highlight the important parts of my life, things that, as my Rock Of Love, you might encounter. It's up to each of you to show me you can handle my Rockstar life."**_

A competitive gleam shone in the eyes of several of the girls, the sight a little bit frightening. Karma's sadistic grin made Jude's skin crawl as she and Mackenzie let out ear piercing squeals.

_**"Your first challenge is all about being able to handle the spot light and stand out in a crowd of beautiful people. So ladies…It's a WALK-OFF. You'll each need to throw on your sexiest swimwear and strut your stuff on the runway. The standout girl wins a solo date and a role in a music video for Speiderman Mind Explosion's newest single. Make sure you bring it. See you at the end of the runway. Love, Tom."**_

More squeals and screaming erupted around the room, girls jumping up and down like they were actually excited about the challenge.

Jude was frozen to her spot. No. Fucking. Way. This was…there was NO WAY she was going to strut down a catwalk to display her goods. Was she honestly the only one that didn't think this was a good idea?

Sephe was still next to her, laid back and unconcerned. "Jude? You all right?" she asked as she noticed her new friend's rigid posture.

Jude managed to shake her head yes even as she contemplated faking a pulled muscle. She just needed to be rational. She'd just explain to Marcus that she wasn't going to be wearing any type of swimming suit in public. Not even for Tommy.

Corey was frowning as she joined them after the other girls left to try on bathing suits for the challenge. "I only have a one piece," she told them with a disappointed shrug. "Not really catwalk material."

"I'm sure it looks great," Sephe jumped in. "Besides, it's not about the suit. It's about the confidence. Flaunt what you've got!"

Jude agreed, offering up an encouraging smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She'd probably be giving Corey similar advice if she herself hadn't been paralyzed with mortification by visions of imminent runway disaster.

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**  
**_**"There is an alarming amount of fake boob headed for that runway…myself not included."**_

**-Jude Harrison, 23 years old, Toronto, ON**

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Tommy's cell phone started vibrating in his pocket in the middle of laying the track for the chorus of his new song "It's Not My Time". He and Jude had finished writing the song a couple of weeks before but hadn't had the chance to record it. Kwest was helping him now and they'd spent most of the morning reworking the chorus and bridge. They were close to being done with the vocals.

Not wanting to ruin the take, Tommy ignored the call. If it was important, the caller could leave a message and he'd get it when they finished recording.

"Uh…Tom…" Kwest interrupted. "You came in late on that last line. You wanna start from the top?"

"Can we take 5? My phone keeps vibrating."

At Kwest's smirk, Tommy shot his friend a glare. "You're a sicko."

"Whatever, man. Take your phone call."

The phone had stopped for a second but it was vibrating again and Tommy hastily tugged it free of his pocket. A quick glance at the caller ID revealed an unknown number. His brow furrowed, but he flipped the phone open and said "Hello."

There were several seconds of silence and he was about to say "Hello" again when a whispered "Tommy?" came through the line.

"Yeah. Uh…Who is this?"

"It's Jude, you moron," she hissed.

"What's wrong? Why are you calling?" Tommy grabbed the stool sitting off to the side of the recording booth and sat down. He could see Kwest on the phone as well, probably talking to Sadie.

"We're supposed to be getting ready for the challenge this afternoon." The whisper got a little louder.

"So? Where are you at?"

There was a long pause.

"Uh…I'm hiding in the closet. EJ is here somewhere. Marcus called her to bring me a swimming suit and instead of just sending it, she showed up here and now she's trying to make me wear a _bikini_." The whisper quickly became a whine and Tommy couldn't help but laugh. He could picture her, huddled in the back of a random closet, trying to go undetected.

"Stop laughing, Jackass! You have to help me. I did not sign on to be some bikini model doing the runway walk of shame."

"Jude," his chuckle faded, but he couldn't hold back a smile. "I'm sure it's not that bad. We go swimming at Darius' house parties…you wear a bathing suit for that," he pointed out, trying to help her rationalize. But Jude wasn't having it.

"Yes. A _bathing suit_. Not four small triangles and some string. There is a big difference. Huge. Probably about a yard's worth of fabric. This…this is indecent and embarrassing. Even my gynecologist doesn't see this much of me."

Tommy wasn't exactly sure what to do with the multitude of images she managed to stick in his head with those words. All of them quickly morphed into a strange fantasy that he had to shake himself from if he wanted to stay focused on the conversation. "Wow, I'm equal parts disturbed and intrigued by that," he joked as he turned himself on the stool to face away from Kwest and then shifted awkwardly to adjust the sudden tightness in his pants.

Jude sighed loudly. "This isn't funny. It's humiliating."

He heard a quiver in her voice and immediately straightened as he realized that she was genuinely upset and not just being difficult.

He lowered his voice, intending to sooth her frayed nerves through the phone. "Babes, just take a deep breath. It will be fine. You're going to be fine. The SME boys and I are the only ones who'll be there. You know us and we've seen you in a swimming suit. We're not going to judge you."

"You idiot." The soothing wasn't working. "That's what this whole stupid catwalk thing is. You guys judging all the girls based on their looks. It's disgusting," she bit out.

"It's not judging, it's admiring," he defended. "There's a difference."

"Only to you. It doesn't matter what you call it, you're still going to be picking a girl based solely on her looks. It's so…so…"

Tommy rolled his eyes as she built up to "so…Jr. HIGH!" she finally spat out.

He knew better than to laugh at this point. She was irrational and probably PMSing if he remembered her last series of mood swings correctly. If he were with her, he could hug and tease her until she calmed down, but she was clearly too worked up for any over the phone handling. "Did you try talking to Marcus?"

"Yes. Stupid Ass said I had to participate because it wouldn't look right if I didn't and he wants more drama. By the way, remind me to tell you the story about how I got caught bringing your coffee to your room this morning and now I'm the house slut. It's really amusing."

He winced and immediately felt guilty, but he didn't get a chance to apologize. Jude was still ranting.

"I had to steal Marcus' phone to call you," she admitted, sounding only mildly sheepish about it. "Apparently the girls have banned me from using the house phone because I'm such a slutbag. Those stupid whores. Marcus isn't getting this phone back either…"

Tommy scrubbed a hand over his face. "Can't you go hang out with Sephe and Corey?" he suggested. "You like them. They're nice," He tried to remind her.

"Stop trying to 'handle' me, Quincy. I just want to vent. Either that or you could rescue me on some kind of white stallion. But since that's not exactly an option, I'm staying holed up right where I'm at. No one is going to miss me."

"That's not true. I'll miss you, Big Eyes."

Jude groaned. "No. Stop. I'm immune to your charm," she said without much conviction. They both knew he really didn't have to do much to talk her into things. "Hey, did you finish recording anything today?"

"Nice change of subject by the way. And the answer is almost. I got interrupted by a phone call," he responded dryly.

"I told you not to stick the phone in your front pocket like that. You get too distracted when someone calls and it vibrates against your junk," she teased.

"I hate it when you say junk. It makes me think of stuff you throw away because it doesn't work anymore. My equipment works. It works very well."

"Excuse me. I didn't mean to offend. From now on I'll just call it your man stick and magic ball sack."

He tried not to laugh. He really did. "The technical term is penis."

"Ooh, I love it when you use your big boy words, Tommy." Her voice was playful and husky and Tommy almost adjusted himself right off the stool. When had the conversation gone from him calming Jude down to her getting him worked up? The topic of their conversation was certainly stirring and he scrubbed his free hand through his hair in agitation. "Why don't we talk about something else altogether," he suggested.

"Tell me about the song," she suggested, easily changing the subject.

"You can hear it later tonight before we go to sleep."

"I don't know if I can. I already told you I got caught this morning. It might cause more drama than I can sanely handle if it happens again. Besides, I gave up my single room to Brianna because she really did puke all over the place. I'm rooming with Sephe now and she might notice if I'm not in my bed."

"Well maybe I'll come join the two of you then," he leered.

She giggled. "You are such a perv."

"You say it like you like it, Jude," he shot back.

His words were met with silence and then muffled noise. "Jude?"

"Shit! I've got to go," she was back to whispering. "Someone's coming. Tommy, please…promise you'll save me," she pleaded one last time before the phone went dead.

Shaking his head and smiling, he snapped the cell phone shut and put it back in his pocket. Kwest was staring at him through the glass partition, looking curious. Tommy got up from the stool and went out by Kwest in the mixing booth, sitting in the chair next to him.

"Do I even want to know?" Kwest asked.

Tommy shrugged. "Bikini contest. Winner gets to be in the new SME video. The guys are helping me judge today. She's freaking out."

There was no need to ask who 'she' might be. "Sounds like Jude. I'm guessing Sadie didn't pack her real swimming suit for her."

Tommy shook his head, grin widening. "She was all worked up about the suit EJ is making her wear. Four triangles and some string. I'm thinking this is going to be a damn good show," he paused. "You should stick around."

"And have my wife kill me? I don't think so. Besides, I'm sure you'll enjoy it enough for the both of us."

Tommy had no doubts he would. Nothing was better than a runway show of beautiful girls, except maybe sex with one of those girls. The minute the thought entered his mind, visions of his early morning dream flashed through his brain and any thoughts he'd been ready to entertain about the fourteen other women in the house were replaced by those of his 'dream' girl.

_Well, shit_. He really needed to get his raging hormones under control before he acted on something that he knew he shouldn't.

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

EJ and Marcus stood in the open doorway of the closet, starring down at Jude as she sat huddled on the floor by her shoes.

"This is ridiculous," EJ glowered. "You're acting like you're ashamed to wear a bikini. You're clearly not fat, so this shouldn't be a big deal." EJ was apparently one of those people born without the genes for sympathy or empathy. Instead, she'd gotten extra doses of 'mean'.

"Jude, you'll look fine. Honestly." Marcus tried a slightly more tactful approach.

"I don't see why I have to do this. My role in the house doesn't really necessitate that I do _everything_ the other girls do. In fact, it will be more controversial if I don't," she tried reasoning.

"Nice try. But your pasty ass _will_ be walking the runway," EJ growled.

Marcus jumped a little and Jude covered her mouth with her hand as she realized that Marcus was afraid of the petite woman standing next to him. Heh. That was funny.

He rolled his eyes at Jude's amusement but held out his hand, silently pleading for Jude to just give in.

She hesitated.

"Look, will it help if I promise to keep your catwalk footage from making the episode?" He was at his bargaining stage and after a minute of thinking it over as she stared up at him from the floor Jude took the outstretched hand and let him help her up.

"You better keep that promise, Marcus."

"Scout's honor." He said solemnly and held up his hand.

Jude narrowed her eyes. "That's the Vulcan sign. But thanks anyway."

She turned toward EJ and straightened her spine. "All right, Cruella. Let's go."

EJ huffed. "I hardly look like a cartoon villain."

"My bad," Jude tossed her a fake grin. "I guess I just assumed it fit. You seem like a woman who might kill puppies in her spare time."

She heard Marcus chuckling behind her, but didn't have time to say any more. EJ looked like she wanted to kill _her_. "Ha. Ha. That was just a joke, EJ." She smiled weakly.

EJ crossed her arms in front of her. "You really shouldn't joke with the woman who's in charge of styling you, Jude. It could lead to embarrassment and disaster."

Jude decided to keep her mouth shut. If she didn't play nice now, she just might end up strutting the runway with a string up her ass instead of a triangle covering it.

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

_**"It's a competition. I won't ever get close to these girls. It's an 'every girl for herself' type of game, and I'm here to play it."**_

**-Dominique, 22 years old, New York City, NY**

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

It took some prodding, but Jude reluctantly donned the 'swimsuit' EJ shoved at her. After which she'd promptly covered herself with a robe and gone back to her room to hide out. The rest of the girls were all working on their hair and makeup, some of them getting help from Jenny, the makeup girl, as well as Danny, the stylist that was on-call for Tommy's hair-care needs. Jude couldn't care less about that stuff, but she didn't have anything else to do. She'd tried to sneak one of Tommy's guitars outside to go work on some music, but the production crew had the pool area blocked off while they set up for the 'runway' show.

Left with no other options, she was letting Sephe torture her hair into some sort of style.

"How long have you been coloring your hair?" Sephe asked as she wrapped a large blonde section of hair around a curling iron barrel.

Jude was looking at a magazine, not really paying attention as she answered. "Since I was fifteen." She started to add that she preferred the red but stopped herself, remembering that the blonde hair was supposed to be a disguise of sorts.

Sephe chatted on. "Well, it's actually in decent shape. Which is surprising, considering blonde is the most damaging for your hair…"

"Eh, must be good hair genes or something," Jude joked, not tearing her eyes from the magazine. She was probably staring a bit too hard at the Vagisil ad, but she wasn't about to make eye contact with her new friend. She hated not being completely honest when Sephe was being so nice. Corey too. It was hard to lie to nice people. The other sluts she couldn't care less about.

Marissa and Katie wandered into the room and sat down across from Jude.

"Can you do me next?" Marissa asked Sephe. "The production crew said it's going to be at least another hour and a half before they're done setting up."

Sephe agreed. "Sure. As soon as I finish up with Jude." She glanced at Katie. "What about you?"

The red head shook her head and grinned wryly. "I'm good, thanks."

Jude shifted so that her legs were bent, propping up the magazine. She eyed Katie over the top, trying to be covert. Jealousy sparked as she observed the beautiful Irish woman. She wanted her sleek red hair…and her height and her complexion and grr…the bitch was actually nice too. It wasn't fair to be the whole package like that. Boobs and brains. Not everyone got so lucky. If she were being honest, Tommy wouldn't know what to do with that much woman. Katie would be better off with someone a little less selfish than Little Tommy Q.

Marissa and Katie had also had the good sense to put on robes over their bathing suits, but it wasn't long before Summer pranced into the room to get in line for Sephe's hair primping services. She sat down on Jude's bed wearing her bikini and a pair of truly impressive stilettos that perfectly matched the teal piping on her bathing suit. Of course Jude didn't really care about that, she was too busy being disgusted by the idea that a virtual stranger's ass was perched dangerously close to her pillow. Gross.

Tori Lynn followed in after Summer and started babbling about her shoes and some weird beach encounter that involved a pair of 'amazing' sandals made by some designer Jude had never heard of before. Jude was so busy trying to ignore the conversation that she didn't notice Summer eyeing her with curiosity. "You know, Jude. It's really weird, but you kind of look like that girl that Tommy's always in the tabloids with."

Jude almost choked on her own saliva. She tried not to make any sudden moves, but the observation caught her off guard. "Uh…really? You think so?" Did she sound squeaky? Maybe guilty? Was the gig up?

All eyes were on Jude, studying her and she really, really didn't like it. Sephe kept working, artfully tousling the curls she had just spent half an hour creating in an effort to give Jude's hair some kind of 'beachy' effect.

Tori Lynn finally shrugged. "I don't think you look anything like her. You're way prettier. At least from the one picture I've seen." She paused and looked thoughtful. "Do you think he messes around with her? You know, when he's in between girls or something?"

Summer shrugged and Marissa and Katie stopped looking at Jude like she'd grown a second head.

Katie spoke up. "It wouldn't surprise me. But I think she's just his assistant."

That apparently set a light bulb off in Summer's head. "Jude! Do you know her? I mean, you work for that celebrity you said was all washed up and old and stuff…"

Well, hell. These girls were smarter than she'd given them credit for. Why did they have to remember things? She held back an eye roll, offering up a fake smile for the benefit of the camera hovering three inches away from her face.

"Yeah…I actually do know her. We have this assistant's club. We get together to commiserate about our bosses," she deadpanned.

Tori Lynn looked confused until Katie explained that commiserate was the same as complaining.

They all looked even more interested now and Jude inwardly cursed herself for opening her mouth. She should have just denied any sort of knowledge.

"So what does she say about him?" Marissa asked eagerly.

Jude kept her eyes glued to the magazine, shutting them momentarily as Sephe bombarded her with hairspray. In her efforts to appear nonchalant, she'd flipped through the whole magazine and was left to either read it from the beginning or answer the question.

"You know, she actually didn't say much," Jude started. She should have stopped there. Really, if she had any sort of sense she would have just let it go at that. But she didn't, so she didn't. "I think she did say once that he was crap in bed. Like really selfish, if you know what I mean." It was true. Tommy did like to hog the covers. "But I guess the job pays decently, so she didn't want to complain too much. Plus…I think she was dating that rapper for awhile."

Jude cautioned a glance up to see the girls processing what she'd just told them. Okay, so it was a tad mean to give Tommy that reputation, but it was harmless. He'd never know…or he wouldn't until he saw the footage. The camera man was smirking at her. Jude frowned at him until he looked away.

Sephe was finally done with Jude's hair and she pushed Jude aside, motioning for Marissa to take Jude's spot on the floor.

"Are you being serious?"

Jude shrugged and winked at Sephe. "I have to admit, I'm usually a little tipsy at our assistant's club gatherings. So I mean, I think that's what she said." Tori Lynn and Summer were whispering to each other and it dawned on Jude that her little made up story would play tag until every one of the other girls had heard it.

Tommy was going to get pissed when he found out.

Oh, well. At least now they'd have low expectations.

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

He walked back into the studio and almost dropped the bottled water he was drinking. He caught it before it slipped from his fingers, but not before some of the liquid sloshed onto his shirt. Tommy barely noticed; his eyes were glued to the recording booth.

He sucked in a breath. "What is she doing?"

Kwest looked over and smirked. "She snuck in here while you were on your break. Said she had something she needed to tell you. I was listening to the play back on the song and now she's fixing that guitar part that was bothering us."

Jude was in the booth, electric guitar strapped over shoulder. The headphones covered her ears, pushing back a wild tumble of blond locks. The SME boys had shown up early and offered to lay down the instrumental tracks to help Tommy out and now their eyes were locked on Jude. It looked like all she was wearing was a light weight cotton bathrobe. Tommy was pretty sure, if the gaping neckline was any sort of indication, that if she put the guitar down, they'd be able to see what she was or wasn't wearing underneath the flimsy excuse for a robe.

"Is she actually showing Speid how to play his part?" he asked, trying to ignore his gut reaction to Jude and focus on the amusement of her correcting Speid. He settled into the chair next to Kwest.

"Looks like he doesn't seem to mind too much."

Tommy fought back a growl and Kwest went back to watching the levels as Jude reached the end of the song. She finally looked up and through the glass partition, her lips spreading into a wide smile as she caught sight of Tommy. His heart did a strange flip as he returned the smile, unable to hold it back as he looked at her. Her newly blond hair was tousled, sort of like it had been when she'd woken up that morning, only this time there was order to the chaos. She was wearing makeup again, enough to highlight her features, making her eyes seem bluer. And yet, with that guitar in her hands and that grin on her face, she was still his Jude.

He hit the button on the mic in front of Kwest and shoved his friend aside so he could talk. "Harrison, stop showing up my musicians."

She laughed and took her head phones off. The guitar strap was next and Tommy held his breath, eyes still trained on her as he waited for a glimpse of what might be hiding under the robe.

He wasn't the only one watching with baited breath. Three pairs of eyes inside the recording booth were also taking in the sight. This was not a side of Jude they often saw. She was usually fully clothed in their dealings with her. Kwest was the only person who wasn't trying to sneak a peak.

"You do realize you're drooling," Kwest teased, eyes crinkling with amusement as he watched Tommy watch Jude. He sort of wished he could stick around for the rest of the afternoon, if for no other reason that to watch his friend's reaction to his sister-in-law. He was starting to think that Sadie was right. He'd never seen Tommy respond to a woman the way he did to Jude. What he didn't understand was why nothing had ever happened between them.

Tommy knew he wasn't actually drooling, but he forced his eyes from Jude at Kwest's words. That's when he realized that Speid's eyes were locked on Jude's chest.

"Harrison," he growled into the mic. "Get your ass in here and stop distracting them."

To the disappointment of those watching, Jude's robe remained securely tied upon removal of the guitar and she walked into the mixing booth unaware of their disappointment. There weren't any free chairs available in the small studio space so she maneuvered around Tommy and perched herself in his lap. "You call it distracting, I call it inspiring." She grabbed his bottled water and took a drink without asking permission. A few drops missed her mouth, landing on her chest where the robe gaped slightly. Unconsciously, she rubbed at the water spots, opening up the gap there even further.

Tommy tried to tell himself to relax. But if Jude moved at all, even just a centimeter to the left, she was going to feel his hard-on poking her in her barely covered ass.

Kwest ignored the two of them as he got SME started on the song again and Tommy was glad that someone had the ability to stay focused.

"Are you wearing anything under that robe?" he grumbled. He was trying to tease her, get her flustered, hoping that doing so might put him more at ease, but as she slapped his hand away from the front of the robe he realized that he was enjoying the teasing a little too much.

"I'm wearing that godforsaken bikini," she informed him primly and pulled the collars of the robe together in a misplaced attempt at modesty. It might have been believable, except the robe's hem was pushed up on her thighs , the slit in the front gaping between her legs and Tommy had an unholy urge to stick his hand in the gap to find out if she was indeed wearing the previously complained about triangles and string.

Jude knew she was blushing, but she couldn't help it. Tommy's teasing felt different, more…something. And then she felt his hand on her bare thigh and for a second she forgot to breath. Her mind scrambled for order, trying to gain control of her wits before she did something embarrassing like open her legs and move his hand closer to where she wanted it.

In the back of her brain she registered that the music was playing.

Music…the song…Tommy's song and the guitar…

Her world righted itself as she sucked in a deep breath and focused her attention on the song. Leaning forward to reach the mic, she pressed the talk button, interrupting the SME boys. "Sorry, but, Speid, that guitar part…could you rough it up a bit?"

Speid nodded and played; the sound of the chords less perfect, more edgy. "A bit more," she requested. From the corner of her eye she saw Tommy smirk and open his mouth to comment and she quickly stuck a finger against his lips to shush him. Speid played the part and Jude nodded that they could keep going.

Tommy's hand finally left her thigh. He frowned as he pushed her finger away from his lips. "What'd you do that for?"

Jude's mouth quirked in a knowing half smile. "Because you were about to say something gross about me liking it 'rough'."

"I was no…" he started to protest, but she tilted her head, eyebrows raised and he conceded. "Okay. I was."

Kwest was shaking his head at them, chuckling. "Never a dull moment with you two."

"You love it. Stop acting like you aren't entertained." Jude told her brother-in-law.

"Oh. I'm entertained, sister. No doubt about that."

They spent the next half hour working on the song with SME. Jude offered up suggestions and they were about to listen to the playback when the door to the studio burst open and a pissed off EJ stomped in. Jude was still in Tommy's lap and her arms went around his neck, tightening. "Oh God. Save me," she whispered under her breath as EJ stood before them, hands on her hips, fire shooting from her eyes as her nostrils flared.

"Jude! What the hell are you doing?" EJ demanded.

"Uh…helping Tommy with a song?" she responded timidly.

Tommy's arms tightened around Jude's waist and for a second she thought it was a gesture of assurance, to let her know he had her back. Then she thought better of it and realized that he was probably using her as a shield from EJ. _Jerk_.

"Yeah, well, the runway show starts in an hour. You've got to get oiled up like the rest of the girls."

Tommy got hard, or at least, harder than he already was, when he heard the words 'oiled up'. The SME boys were exchanging leering grins and high fives.

Jude felt the hardness poking her bottom and her face flamed. "Don't get up," he whispered, almost like a plea.

She rolled her eyes, cheeks still red. He was using her for cover now. The idiot didn't want anyone to see his boner.

She was oddly annoyed now and didn't exactly understand why. "Fine, EJ. Let's go." She was past caring about what she looked like in the damn bikini. The whole thing had dragged out too long and it was too draining to worry about anymore. She stood up and before anyone knew what she was doing, her hands untied the robe's sash and she shrugged it off into Tommy's lap. He could use that as a shield.

Tommy's fingers fisted in the robe, torn between wanting to throw it over her and cover her back up and needing it to hide the rampant hardness painfully engorged beneath his zipper. Sweet Jesus, just looking at her made him throb. He'd never see her in anything so revealing before and …well, Jude was very nicely formed.

She was also irritated, he could tell as she stepped toward the door, following EJ. His eyes were glued to her retreating back. The strings that held up her bikini top were loose and it wouldn't take much for them to come undone. That certainly sparked ideas. Then his gaze went downward and rested on the curve of her ass. The outer edges of the triangle that covered her backside had given up the fight and crept inward. Tommy sat, frozen, mesmerized as Jude's index fingers slipped beneath the edges of the material on both sides, running underneath as she snapped the fabric into place.

He swallowed, mouth dry. Whatever Kwest was saying was lost on him. The only thing he registered was that he was going to need to stay seated for a few minutes.

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

_**"Well, this is going to be a freak show!"**_

**-Katie**

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

The runway set was finally finished almost two hours later than scheduled. Marcus and the rest of the crew were frantically trying to get everything in place. The lighting concept had to be completely redone and the entire shooting schedule had changed because of the delays, forcing the runway show into the evening after the sunset.

The women milled around the house restlessly as they waited. They weren't allowed to sit down because they'd all been greased up for their catwalk debuts. Jude didn't understand how the grease was supposed to make them look sexy, but she'd given up trying to figure that out. Her stomach was growling and she desperately wished the caterers had brought in something a bit more substantial than the vegetable and fruit trays that the other girls were ignoring. The bar was fully stocked and a hotbed of activity. Brianna was on her third drink and would probably stumble down the runway at the rate she was going. Nurse Scarlet seemed to be keeping up pretty well, a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other. So at least that would be entertaining.

Good grief, she hadn't seen this much bare flesh since SME dragged her along to a strip club one night. Tommy had been on a date with some random groupie and so, with nothing better to do, she'd gone along with the boys for their night of fun. The only kink in the plan had been Tommy's over-protectiveness. For some reason he'd decided to call her and, fool that she was, she'd answered. Speid had been in the middle of motor-boating the 'naughty school girl' on stage and Jude remembered laughing hysterically at the absurdity of it. Once she'd turned away from the onstage action, her conversation with Tommy had gone from bad to worse. First, she'd chastised him for having the bad manners to call another girl in the middle of his date. He had ignored her, demanding to know where she was. The second he'd heard Speid's voice, begging Jude to borrow some more singles, he'd gone into pissed off mode. He'd shown up at the club, date in tow. Then he'd left the poor girl at SME's table while he dragged Jude off to the dingy bathroom to lecture her on safety.

"They're strippers," she'd argued. "The worst thing that might happen is getting maimed by a flyaway stiletto. Or maybe an eye poke from their iced nipples. I think I'm safe." She'd stood, arms crossed, brow furrowed, giving him the look that she liked to think conveyed just how ridiculous she thought he was sometimes.

"Iced nipples? How do you know that?" That tid bit had momentarily sidelined him and Jude had almost started laughing at how easily he got distracted.

"The police pole dancer, Ginger, told me. She said it's the fasted way to get them pointed. Sucking takes too long," she explained. Moments of silence had followed the words as Tommy choked on whatever he'd been about to say.

"It's too late!" he bit out. "You've already been corrupted." At that point he'd tossed her over his shoulder and proceeded to carry her out of club while she'd slapped at him helplessly. Then he'd shoved her into his car, ignoring her protests.

"It's for your own good. I know you. If you stayed any longer, you'd be on the pole learning the moves."

Jude recalled sitting huffily in the passenger seat, arms crossed over her chest, lips pouting and pride stung form his high-handedness. "Maybe I'm thinking about a career change," she'd tossed out. "Those girls make a hell of a lot more money than me, just to show off their ta-tas."

She could still envision the way Tommy's mouth dropped open. "You can't be a stripper! No one is allowed to see your ta-tas!"

"I'll show 'em to you, Quincy, for fifty bucks," she'd offered up suggestively.

"I'm gonna pull the car over and spank you," he'd seethed.

"That will cost you an extra twenty dollars."

"Jude!" He had raked a hand through his hair, disheveling the strands as his other hand gripped the steering wheel.

"Tommy…stop trying to control me or babysit me. All I wanted was a night out with my friends. We were having fun. Which is what you should have been doing instead of calling to check on me." She'd pointed out.

At that point Tommy had gone silent and Jude had stared at him as he kept his face straight, focused on the road. The car had been filled with utter silence; they hadn't even had the radio playing.

She had just returned to pouting when suddenly Tommy pulled off to the side of the road. His hands flexing on the steering wheel, he'd looked over at her and then forward again, eyes focused on the light shooting out from the headlights.

"I forgot my date at the strip club."

The words filled the car and Jude's mouth dropped open.

And then they'd both begun to laugh, so hard that Jude ended up doubled over against Tommy, tears streaming down her cheeks. As the laughter subsided, Tommy's hands had framed Jude's face, thumbs wiping the mirthful tears from her cheeks as he'd leaned his forehead against hers.

"I'm sorry for being a jerk. You're right. If you want to hang out with strippers, then as your friend, I will support you," he'd been grinning as he spoke but his voice had turned serious. "I wasn't really worried about the strippers so much as the skeevy guys that go to those places."

"_You_ go to those places," she'd pointed out with an accusing smile.

"See, so I know what I'm talking about."

She'd laughed, shaking her head in that 'What am I going to do with you?' way.

"You can be a serious pain in the butt, Quincy…but I wouldn't change a thing about you." She'd kissed his cheek, warm lips pressed against late night stubble, lingering. Her brain had been screaming for her to kiss him for real, to trail her lips against his cheek until they were pressed against his mouth. She remembered her breath catching and then, for one heart-pounding moment, she'd had every intention of going through with it. She might have gone through with it if Tommy's cell phone hadn't started ringing. The shrill sound had broken the spell she'd been under. The mood breaking call had been to inform Tommy that Speid was taking a very irate woman home in Tommy's absence.

"I don't think there's going to be a second date," Jude had quipped as Tommy pulled them back onto the road.

Tommy's grin had been unrepentant. "There wouldn't have been anyway. She was boring and I missed you."

"Aw..that's so sweet. Let's go back to your place and get drunk."

"Harrison…I do like the way you think."

The night had ended with lots of drinking. Tommy did his Boyz Attack dances for her and she was a willingly captive audience until they both collapsed in a heap on his bed. They were late for work the next morning and Darius had been irate about a Talk National online story that featured them leaving the strip club, Jude thrown over Tommy's shoulder. It probably would have been forgotten except that later that afternoon, there was a new story on the hung-over duo leaving Tommy's apartment that morning. Jude's wrinkled clothing from the night before were the focus of the article and sparked a round of speculation. Again, not really anything to fret over. The real drama hadn't started until Jude got a phone call from her mom. She'd gotten a lecture on inappropriateness that made her cry in the middle of Starbucks while she was waiting for Tom's special order coffee. She'd taken the cold coffee back to Tommy looking like a giant, snot-faced loser and then really lost it when he hugged her. That, of course, led to more drinking. But it was more of a curled up on the couch, cuddle with your best friend while you force him to watch chick flicks kind of thing.

Those were the moments that reminded Jude why she was doing this for Tommy. It was the little things that he did; a hug, a phone call even when he wasn't supposed to be calling, enduring girly movies and just holding her when she needed it. He was her best friend and because of that, she'd put up with the nonsense that currently surrounded her. Of course, when he was being a jerk then it was the lure of Darius' job offer that would have to soothe her.

"Okay, Ladies!!" Marcus yelled. His voice didn't carry above the din of the drunken giggling and whispers. The room didn't quiet down until EJ let out a shrill whistle that made Jude cringe. Everyone stopped talking and directed their attention to Marcus. "We're going to line you up now. The order is random and EJ is going to place you. You get one trial walk to the music and then we'll bring out the judges. As a reminder, Tommy is not personally going to have a say in the winner. SME will decide because the girl is for their music video. If it helps, think of this like an audition."

Jude rolled her eyes. That did not help at all. Sephe and Corey were standing next to her now and poor Corey was wringing her hands nervously.

"I'm glad we get to practice." Corey's unsure smile fell from her lips as EJ marched over and grabbed her to line up.

"That woman needs to get laid," Sephe joked as they watched EJ bark out orders.

"I honestly don't think that would help. She'd probably to be in charge the whole time. 'Put your tongue here. No…I said you're hand should go here.'" Jude mimicked. "It would take all the fun out of sex."

"Speaking of sex, did you see Saskia 'the walking STD's' swimming suit?" Sephe whispered.

Jude's shuddered response made the other girl laugh. "I'm really trying to keep my eyes trained above everyone's shoulders." Which was the complete truth. If she didn't she was going to spend the whole evening comparing herself to each of the other woman, wishing she were a few inches taller and a little bit lustier.

Sephe started talking about the grossness of one of the other girls' tattoos, but Jude wasn't really listening. She might have joined in on the slam session if Marcus hadn't been staring at her and jerking his head at her like he had a tick.

EJ grabbed Sephe and shoved her towards the line. Marcus quickly strolled into the empty spot. "You need to start something," he told her under his breath.

"Like what? They already think I'm a no-good slut thanks to the unfortunate coffee misunderstanding."

"I know. And I got some fantastic footage of Mackenzie and Karma plotting your demise while the other girls whined alongside them. It was great. Really. But we need more," he insisted. Marcus' words were rushed and Jude studied his face for a moment as he continued to talk. His eyes were bloodshot and he'd probably overdosed on caffeine.

"You need to calm down," she told him softly. "It's only the second day of this and you already look near collapse." She wasn't exactly sympathetic but she didn't want there to be issues that might drag the whole production out longer than the projected six weeks.

"I just want this to be good," he voiced defensively.

"It will be if you calm down and let stuff happen. This is supposed to be reality TV. If you'd just sit back and watch I think you'd realize that these girls don't need me to create drama."

As if to prove her point, Dominique and Parker, who'd been snarking at each other in line, started yelling. They were screaming like banshees really and then one was shoving at the other, which was returned with a left hook that would have probably been painful if the oil hadn't been so slick on both girls that their hits sounded more like wet slaps.

Marcus grinned, gleeful as the sounds of "You fat bitch!" and "Dirty whore" filled the air. The camera guys were zoomed in on the girl-fight, eyes glued to the scene as it became a fantasy come true for them. The only way it would get better was if the two girls stopped clawing and slapping and started making out instead.

They let the fight go on for a few minutes, making sure there wasn't any blood drawn and then Big Lou was ushered over to the scene and forced to pry the women apart.

As she watched the girls get pushed to opposite sides of the room, alliances in the house became clear. Scarlett and Brianna went to Parker's side, while Dominique and Diana, along with Karma and Mackenzie congregated in the other. As Jude watched the two different groups interact, EJ was trying to line everyone up again. She had a feeling that this runway contest was going to make for a very long night.

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

_**"Did somebody tell her that walk was sexy?"**_

**-Marissa, 21 years old, West Virginia**

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

The SME boys could barely contain their excitement as they got placed in front of the runway for the challenge. It was eight pm and the whole backyard area was lit up, a backdrop of what fabric hung in sheets like curtains, hiding the girls from view and allowing the focal point to be the glass runway built over the top of the pool. The runway was shaped like a giant U, with lights around the edge.

Tommy was only mildly impressed. He was too busy mulling over the scripted lines Marcus wanted him to film later. Maybe, if he could get a few minutes alone with her, he'd run the script past Jude to get her opinion. He wanted it to sound authentic but wasn't really sure…

"Dude, this is like, _beyond_ awesome," Speid gushed as the camera crew got into place.

Tommy rolled his eyes. "It's not like you haven't seen almost naked girls before," he pointed out wryly. The SME boys were famous in the tabloids for the strip club exploits.

"Yeah, but these girls are actually pretty and we get to pick one for the video." Wally was just as excited as Speid and Tommy decided to be nice and not remind him of his disapproving girlfriend.

"Ok, quiet everyone. We're going to start," one of the production crew guys yelled out.

Marcus cued the music and mansion's back yard filled with the pulsing beats of Better Than Ezra's "Juicy." A split second later Katie walked through the left side curtain and began her runway walk.

Tommy watched dispassionately as she, not so gracefully, attempted to strut down the runway. He didn't have a say in the outcome of this, so whatever he thought of each of the girls was a moot point. They were all attractive and he didn't really know anything more than that about each of them. He'd be doing good if he could remember their names.

"Do you think she's a real redhead?" Speid leaned over and asked, eyebrows wagging suggestively. The question turned Tommy's thoughts to another redhead, or rather, former redhead. "Jude's not," he blurted out before he realized just how that sounded.

Speid shot Tommy a knowing look. "Guess you finally took my advice." He slapped Tommy on the back and received a forbidding glare for his effort.

"Just shut up and pay attention to the girls."

Katie had just stumbled off stage and Summer was making her entrance. Speid's mouth dropped open and Tommy thought that the poor guy might jizz himself, he was getting so excited. Summer did her thing, hips swinging back and forth with each step. Girl number three was Mackenzie. Number four was the shoe girl…Tori Lynn. She was the bad kisser.

As soon as Tori Lynn was back behind the curtain, the music changed and Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy" blared through the speakers. Tommy let himself smile, bobbing his head ever so slightly to the music. He really wanted to see Jude stalking down the runway to this. It would absolutely make his day.

Instead, Saskia appeared and Tommy hadn't thought it was humanly possible, but her boobs actually seemed bigger than they had the night before. He glanced over at SME to see their mouths open, eyes wide.

"I can't look away," Speid's voice wobbled and his head moved up and down with each bouncing step the Russian took.

Her snakeskin bikini top had triangles that barely covered her nipples. And after the human hair dress, Tommy was thinking that she'd mostly likely skinned the snakes herself to make the bikini.

Saskia finally did them all a favor and turned around to go up the right side of the runway. Kyle spoke up. "She looks really familiar. Is she a stripper?"

Tommy's answer was delayed as the woman in question stopped walking, bent over and wrapped her hands around her ankles, peaking her head around her left leg to give the cameraman on that side of the catwalk a private show.

"Why am I not turned on by that?" Wally voiced, confused.

Tommy laughed. "Maybe because she's sort of like the town bicycle…" He didn't need to finish the sentence for Wally to understand.

Marcus was urging Saskia off the stage and as soon as the curtain shut behind her on the right side, all the guy's eyes were glued to the left side of the runway, on the spot where the next almost naked female would emerge.

The music pulsed on and the curtain fluttered. There was movement and elbows came through, one clothed and one unclothed and then suddenly Jude shot through the curtain, stumbling slight and looking like she'd just been pushed. Probably by EJ. She was scowling deeply and Tommy could see her hands fidgeting as she walked, fighting the urge to cover herself. Hell, he was fighting his own urge to cover her up. He hadn't realized how long her legs were or really noticed just how tiny her waist was. He scrubbed a hand over his face. Now was not a good time to think about those things.

She was halfway down the left side runway when Marcus held up his hand and tried to get Jude's attention. She was either ignoring him or couldn't hear him so he reached up to grab her arm. He'd barely touched her before Tommy was out of his seat, making his way to her.

The music had stopped and Tommy's "What's going on?" came out a bit louder and more demanding than he'd intended. The runway was elevated several feet above the ground and Jude stood, arms crossed over chest, looking pissed off as Tommy looked up at her from his spot next to Marcus.

The director looked exasperated. "I told her she needs to look less pissed off," he explained. "Less like she's marching to her death."

Tommy looked back at Jude and could see anger sparking in her eyes. "He," she jerked her head towards Marcus, "told me he wouldn't use any of my catwalk footage. He promised me. If he intends to keep his promise it shouldn't matter what I look like."

"If he promised, he's going to keep his promise." Tommy gave Jude's calf a quick, reassuring squeeze as his words made it clear that Marcus would do what he said.

Marcus' "Fine. Whatever" would have been the end of the whole thing if Karma hadn't chosen that moment to stir up trouble. She stormed onto the stage, hands on her hips, teetering on some ridiculously high heels, sequined bikini flashing under the lights.

"Uhm..hello? There's still a few of us that need to do our walks. So why is Jude still out here hogging our time?"

"Back off!" Jude barked. "You'll get your chance to skank up the runway in a minute." Her voice carried without the background of the music and several heads appeared in the curtain slits. Before Karma could even formulate a reply, more girls were joining them on the runway. Mackenzie, Parker and Scarlett all stood behind Karma, almost like they were her little gang of bitches.

"I suppose if anyone would know about skanks it would be you. One night in the house and you already land yourself in Little Tommy Q's bed."

Tommy was about to protest the usage of his hated Boyz Attack name when he noticed Marcus gesturing to the camera crew, motioning them closer. There was an oddly giddy look in his eyes.

"If you would have confronted me this morning, instead of spreading rumors, you would have heard the truth." Jude's voice rose and she stepped toward Karma, glaring at the girl.

Tommy briefly thought that, if he were Karma, he'd be a little bit scared.

"_Your_ version of the truth," Karma mocked. "Please. You are so desperate that you're using sex to get in with Tommy. Clearly that's all you have going for you."

It was almost funny how far off base Karma really was. In all the years he'd know Jude, sex had never really come between them- almost by unspoken agreement. Of course, that was probably because she didn't know about his little fantasies. Regardless, it was those other things Karma claimed Jude didn't have that had kept them bound to each other for so long.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Jude ground out, mouth tight with tension as Karma invaded her personal space. The two women were approximately the same height in their heels, going nose to nose now.

More girls had come out on the runway to witness the spectacle. Karma was clearly not backing down. "What are you gonna do about it, Jude? Cry to Marcus? Maybe you're sleeping with him too."

Tommy saw Jude's hands clench and he prepared himself for whatever she might do next. But instead of slapping Karma like she deserved, Jude took a step back. The action caught the other woman off guard and she shifted awkwardly by the edge of the runway. She started to topple over the side, grabbing anything she could hold onto to keep from falling. Jude saw her stumbling and reached out to help her regain her balance, but it was too late. Karma landed in the pool with a large splash.

She came up, sputtering, hair plastered to her face. Jude stood there, smirking, but it was Karma who started laughing and pointing at Jude.

Tommy's mouth hung open as his gaze landed on the source of Karma's amusement. When Jude had tried to help Karma, the girl had grabbed for anything to stop her fall. The only thing she'd gotten a hand full of was Jude's bikini top, leaving a breast bared to all.

He closed his eyes and then opened them again. _Sweet Jesus. _It was almost exactly like his dream…small, firm, topped off by a rosy, puckered nipple. He was absolutely positive she'd fit perfectly in the palm of his hand and…

"Jude! You're boob's out," Sephe's voice broke through the tittering laughter and Jude's eyes shot to her chest in slack-jawed mortification. Her hands immediately reached up and covered her breast, much to Tommy's disappointment. Then SME's whoops and hollers could be heard, the trio laughing hysterically before Speid asked Jude if she gave lap dances with her strip tease.

Face red with embarrassment, Jude glared in their direction, taking a hand away from her chest long enough to flip them off. Then her gaze shot to Tommy and her cheeks flushed again. That's when he saw beyond the anger and embarrassment. She looked…hurt.

"Thanks for sticking up for me, Tommy." The words, barely loud enough for anyone else to hear, slashed through him. Guilt immediately filled him as he realized that he'd just stood by silently and let it all happen.

He turned to Marcus, who looked like he'd just had a public orgasm over the drama. "You're not using any of that footage."

Marcus shrugged. "She said I couldn't use the walking on the runway. None of that was walking."

"I'm not asking. I'm telling you. You're not using that footage." Tommy was prepared to back that up with his fist, if Marcus didn't back down.

"I'm just the director. My job here is to direct, as you've pointed out to me. That's what I'm doing. I don't get to make that call. Jude signed the release just like the rest of the girls. It's all fair game."

Tommy really hated Marcus. But the person he was really mad at was himself. This was just one more thing, in a whole list of things, that he needed to make up to Jude. At the rate he was going, he'd be making things up to her for the rest of his life.

"We have to finish this up. We're already behind schedule and there are girls that still need to do their walk." As Marcus spoke, several of the production crew guys were helping Karma from the pool. She was ushered backstage and Tommy was pushed toward his seat. Seconds later the music was blasting and Brianna was making her runway debut. Other than noting that Brianna was three-sheets to the wind and unable to walk a straight line, Tommy watched the show on autopilot. His body was present but he wasn't really seeing what was in front of him.

He had a niggling fear that Jude was in the house packing her bags while he was forced to watch the parade of women.

An elbow in his ribs finally got his attention. "At least pretend like you're enjoying this," Speid told him. Tommy rolled his eyes but took the advice. He had to look interested, even though he wasn't. That was part of the gig.

The rest of the girls took their turns. Diana, who frightened Tommy beyond reason, in her leather and chains bikini, was the last girl to walk before Marcus called a fifteen minute break while they waited for Karma to get her hair and makeup redone so she could finally do her runway walk.

The break was the perfect opportunity to slip away inside and find Jude. Marcus would have to send someone to get him when they started filming again.

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Jude lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling. A t-shirt and shorts from the pile of crap clothes EJ had given her had replaced the bikini. At this point, even the short shorts and the tight t-shirt felt like full body armor compared to that bikini.

She wasn't really mad. The whole situation had been an accident and aside from a little embarrassment, she was fine. But this was only the second day of this whole mess and she wasn't sure how long she'd be able to last.

It was all so new and different for her, spending this much time in the company of other females. Jude had always had male friends, for some reason. The female ones never stuck, but her friendship with Jamie had lasted for almost their entire lives. And SME…she was always hanging out with them when she wasn't with Tommy. Other than Sadie, who was stuck with her because of the whole sister thing, Jude had never been surrounded by this much estrogen. It was making her emotional and bringing out weird territorial feelings. Not to mention that Tommy was going to choose one of these women to be his girlfriend, to essentially replace her in his life. If he knew that's how she felt, he'd argue that he'd never let that happened. But it would. Her role as best friend would be recast and he'd be sharing everything with someone else.

"I thought I'd find you here," Tommy spoke softly as he entered the room. Jude didn't tear her eyes from the ceiling but felt the bed shift and then he was pressed up against her side.

"Jude, I…" he started but she shook her head.

"If you're here to apologize, save your breath," she told him tiredly. "It's not worth it."

"I think it is. Because I'm really sorry," he insisted.

"What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything," she shrugged.

She could feel Tommy's chest against her arm as he had himself propped up on his side, looking down at her. "Maybe that's what I'm sorry for," he cut in. "For not doing anything." He paused. "That and for ogling your boob. If I were a gentleman I would have looked away. But I'm not and in my defense…it's a very nice boob."

That earned a laugh. "_You're_ a boob," she groaned, not wanting to smile, but unable to help it.

"I'm being serious," he told her.

"My boobs aren't anything to ogle. They're like swollen mosquito bites. Nothing compared to the loaded weapons Saskia's hoisting around on her chest."

Tommy's deep chuckled vibrated in his chest, the movement pushing him closer to Jude. "They are scary," he agreed. "I think I like yours better." She could feel him staring at her intently, the heat of his gaze making her tingle. Then she felt a fingertip trailing circles over the top of her shirt, dangerously close to the breasts he claimed to admire. "I'd say they're more than a mouthful." The husky words washed over her, making her shiver. Her whole body felt flushed and her mouth went dry even as her panties got wet at the thought of Tommy's mouth…She sucked in a shaky breath. His hand rested on her ribcage, thumb rubbing the underside of the breast she'd just bared to everyone. She could feel Tommy's breath on her neck now and instinctively turned her head towards his. She hadn't realized just how close he was, that his lips were right there, barely a hair's width away. It would take nothing to move forward, close the gap between them.

Neither of them moved though. They just lay there, sharing the air, breathing together, the sound heavy and erratic, the act more erotic than any Jude had experienced before. Her whole body trembled from anticipation and…

A loudly bellowed "Jazzy Hands!" came from the doorway, interrupting the moment, slicing through the thick atmosphere of sexual tension.

The intrusion jolted them, their heads knocking together.

"Ow." Jude rubbed her forehead while Tommy tried to pretend that he hadn't knocked his nose against her face. It would have been awkward, except that it was _them_ and they'd had a lot of 'almost' moments over the years. All of them ignored, like they hadn't happened.

"I better go. Karma still has to do her walk and then we're going to announce the winner for the guys' video," Tommy explained as he helped her up from the bed. They both ignored the cameraman following them and made their way through the house and back out to the pool. Jude was over being embarrassed. She was pretty sure things would only get worse before this whole ordeal was over, she might as well just face it instead of hiding.

Tommy grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze as they reached the glass doors to the outside.

They both stopped moving simultaneously as they caught sight of the runway.

Karma stood on the catwalk, topless, while Speid drooled in front of her.

Jude looked at Tommy. "Well, I guess that settles that."

He smirked and nodded. "Looks like Karma's going to be making her music video debut."

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

_**"I had to do something sensational to get their attention. Especially after Jude's inadvertent flashing stunt. I'm not about to let that flat-chested skank outshine me."**_

**-Karma**

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

TBC...


	7. Chapter 7 pt 1

Chapter 7 – "_Kiss_"

_U don't have 2 be rich 2 be my girl  
U don't have 2 be cool 2 rule my world  
Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with  
I just want your extra time and your . . . . . kiss_

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Jude slept deeply that night after the runway show. Realistically, she probably should have slept with one eye open, knowing just how mean and catty some of those girls seemed, but she was too exhausted. Everything that had happened had wiped her out, both physically and emotionally. In fact, she even ignored a note from Tommy that Big Lou slipped to her during the chaos of the female night time beauty rituals. Tommy's bold scrawl had requested her presence once the others had fallen asleep. She probably would have gone, but as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out. She would have slept through the entire next day if she hadn't been roused from her deep slumber sometime shortly after dawn

Big Lou woke her up and shuffled her pajama-clad body down the stairs from the girl's sleeping quarters right into Tommy's room. Bleary-eyed, she looked around the room, eyes settling on the unmade bed, gravitating toward it. Her feet carried her to the inviting mass of pillows and comforter and she was two seconds from crawling under the covers when the bathroom door opened and Tommy's voice stopped her.

"Don't do it," he teased with mock warning.

"Please?" she pleaded, whining.

"Nope. We're having breakfast since you ignored my note last night." As he spoke he grabbed her arm, one hand going to the small of her back as he steered her toward the sliding glass doors that let to his private patio.

"Sorry," she mumbled through a yawn. "I fell asleep."

She missed the amused, affectionate look he tossed her way as he settled her into one of the deck chairs and put a steaming cup of coffee into her hands. He gave her a minute, watching as she perked up with each sip.

"Better?"

"Mhhmm…yeah," she nodded. "So what's the deal? Why the summons?"

Tommy settled into the chair opposite her and propped his jean clad legs onto the small outdoor coffee table. He hadn't been able to sleep very well the night before. Something had been…off. For awhile he'd laid in bed, his mind replaying the whole day. He'd gotten stuck on that one moment, right after he'd gone to find Jude. He still wasn't sure what he'd been thinking. It had started off as a bit of a tease mixed in with his apology and then quickly turned into something else. He didn't know what had possessed him, touching her like that. It had been so…sexually charged and his only excuse was that he'd gotten caught up in the moment, like it was on of his fantasies come to life.

If he were being completely honest with himself, he'd admit that there had always been an attraction for Jude that bubbled underneath the surface, staved off only by his overwhelming need for her continued friendship and support. He was fairly certain that, given his track record, if he ever tried to take things further, he'd fuck up everything they'd built between them and that …it just wasn't an option.

He'd argued with himself for hours before he'd given up on sleep all together and started working on some new music. He'd gotten a solid melody down before he crashed, only to wake up a few hours later. Big Lou had already been at his post by the door and Tommy had sent him off to fetch coffee and Jude.

"I need to get the scoop on all the girls for the elimination tonight after my 'date' with Karma."

"Lucky you, going out with Skanky McNastyBitch. Try not to catch her diseases." Jude didn't even bother to open her eyes as she spoke.

Tommy chuckled and sat forward to grab their breakfast off the coffee table. "Trust me. That's not going to be a problem." He tossed a silver package into her lap and Jude's eyes lit up and she eagerly tore it open and pulled out a pop tart.

"I don't know, Tom. However will you resist her 'oh-so-tempting' charms?" She took a large bite, chewing as she spoke. "Which we've all now seen."

"I prefer _your_ 'charms', Jude. You know that." He probably shouldn't have said that. The words were a reminder of what had almost happened the day before. But he was clearly over-thinking the incident because Jude just laughed and turned her head towards him, bright blue eyes open and full of amusement, like she thought he was joking.

"So tell me what they've been saying about me," he prodded, changing the direction of the conversation.

Jude rolled her eyes. "Mostly we just sit around in our underwear and compare breasts. Oh and we _gush_ over you. Non-stop," she dead-panned, looking away as she spoke, her interest centered on her coffee and pop tart.

"Is that right?" he asked. Now he was the one amused and aroused by her talk of breasts and gushing. He watched with a smile as she put her feet up next to his on the coffee table. He couldn't help but admire the long smooth line of her legs as she stretched them out. And he could see up the bottom of her shorts- the ass cheek that he'd cupped the day before, now on display.

"Oh, it's Little Tommy Q. and your parachute pants are just so _shiny_," she mocked, humor dancing in her voice.

"Smartass," he mumbled, rolling his eyes and dragging them away from Jude as he took a drink of his own coffee.

She chuckled. "You _love_ my ass."

Tommy almost choked at her words, coughing and mumbling "hot" in an effort to pretend it was the coffee that caused the spasm. His cheeks flushed from embarrassment, but after Jude was sure he wasn't dying, she continued to lounge, unconcerned and they sat quietly for a moment until she spoke again.

"Did Marcus tell you who you had to keep?" she asked. The pop tarts had been demolished and she licked the crumbs from her fingers and lips.

"He didn't give me any names but he did suggest that I keep the 'strong personalities'." Tommy's impression of Marcus made Jude snicker. It was clear that he did not care for their 'director'.

"Well then, what do you think? You got to see a lot of the girls yesterday, and by a lot I mean the fleshy parts."

Tommy fingered his coffee cup, eyes staring blankly at the liquid. He finally shrugged. "I don't know. They all looked fine, but it's not like I spent any time with them. You probably spent more time with them that I did, which is why I need your opinion."

"Why don't you pick the girl that you want to make out with the least," Jude suggested, only half-joking. Despite being completely grossed out by the thought of him making out with all of those 'women', there was some merit to that form of consideration.

"That's sort of a hard choice." He paused and Jude took his hesitation for something other than it was.

"You're such a guy," she snipped out. "You just want to makeout with all of them and…"

He cut her off. "You didn't let me finish. There are several girls that I'd really rather not kiss. I was trying to figure out who the worst of them might be. Give me a little credit, Jude. I'm not a complete man whore." He got defensive.

"Ok. Fine. Sheesh. Calm down." She bit her bottom lip and then smirked. "So who's the most offensive?" She wiggled in her seat, eager to hear Tommy's real thoughts on the girls, relishing the idea that not all of them were attractive to him.

For a moment he looked like he was going to stay mad but then he relaxed and his smirk mirrored Jude's. "Saskia," he admitted. "There's just something not right with her. The boobs are just too much and…did you notice that she smelled funny? Kind of like…"

"Bratwurst," Jude filled in. "I believe she mentioned it was her favorite food and it's all I've seen her eat."

"That is disturbing." They both laughed.

"Why don't you do this? Make a list of the girls that you remember. If there's someone that you can't remember then that girl obviously doesn't meet Marcus' 'strong personality' requirements and she doesn't stand out for you either, so…"

That sounded completely rational to Tommy. He grabbed the pen he'd left with his journal on the coffee table and started making the list on the sports section of the newspaper. There were a few girls whose names he didn't remember but he was able to place them because of certain personality quirks he'd witnessed, so Jude said that they counted.

"Okay, so that leaves Summer and Marissa…" Jude filled in after reading the list.

"I'm glad one of us remembers."

"It's only because I'm forced to interact with them all while you get to lock yourself away in the recording studio. Plus, most of them hate me and have made it very clear."

"They don't hate you." The words were unconvincing, even to his ears.

Her eyebrows rose. "They do. And I'm fine with it unless you end up with someone I don't like." Tommy quickly reassured her that wasn't going to happen. It took another few minutes of debate but they finally settled on the girl that would go home.

"It's too bad you couldn't get rid of the girls you don't like kissing first," Jude teased. "But they _are_ the most interesting people here."

"I'm glad you're amused by this." Tommy wasn't enjoying this nearly as much as Jude seemed to be. Her smart-ass smirk was starting to annoy him.

"I'm not amused so much as entertained by the idea that the Russian titty-monster is going to stick her tongue as far down your throat as she can get it. And when she's done, Diana will probably bite your dick off, but hey…I guess this is what it takes to be a Rockstar now-a-days." Tommy was up and out of his seat before the taunt was finished.

"You're ass is mine Harrison. I've been promising to spank you for weeks…" he grabbed her from the chair, ignoring her squeals of protest.

"Tommy! STOP!"

"No…you don't get to say that shit without punishment, Jude. Unless you can use that tongue for good, you're going to get it…"

"I'll be good!" she pleaded as he hefted her into his lap so that she was settled on her stomach over his knees. Her legs kicked out and she tried to flip over, her pajama shorts slipping with the movement as her tank top tangled up around her ribs. "I'll use my tongue for good, I swear!" The husky, choked words made Tommy laugh and then she was hitting him as he relented. She twisted on his lap, settling so that she was sitting on his thighs. Her hair was a tangled mess and she blew the strands away from her face. "I hate you sometimes," she huffed out, pouting.

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her to his chest. "No you don't. Besides…you started it. You don't ever tell a man that someone is going to bite his dick off, Jude. It makes me cringe just thinking about it."

She giggled. "Sorry…it's just that…she's kind of scary…"

Tommy shivered. "Tell me about it. I get the heebie jeebies just thinking about the stilettos she wears. I'm definitely not into the whole 'pain as pleasure' thing. I draw the line at handcuffs." His hand ran lazily up and down Jude's back as she relaxed against him.

"Mmm…pink fuzzy ones? Or maybe leopard print to match those sheets in there," she mused. Her arm was around his shoulder, fingers brushing his neck just above the collar of his shirt.

"I'd let you tie me up with anything," he teased, nipping at her shoulder playfully.

"Oooh and then I could use my tongue for _good_ instead of evil," came her raspy retort. She felt something stirring against her thigh and bit her lip. "I think you like that idea, Quincy." A low growl slipped passed his lips and something flashed in his eyes before his entire expression went blank. It was moments like this that confused Jude and blurred the lines of their friendship. She wasn't sure where the teasing stopped and the flirting and foreplay began. Tommy never seemed to question it though and so she took her cues from him, pretending that it was just for fun.

He moved forward and grabbed the comics, settling her back in his lap. "If you promise not to wiggle, I'll read the comics to you," he told her tersely.

Jude rolled her eyes but helped him open up the first page and sat there, relaxed against his chest. She wasn't really focusing on the pictures in front of her. The rumble of Tommy's voice vibrated against her back as he read them, his chuckles making her smile. His arm brushed against her chest, the nipple tingling at the brief contact as he pointed out something he thought particularly funny. God, he smelled good too. Clean from his morning shower. His breath was minty and sweet as he continued to read. Meanwhile, she sat there, unwashed, with coffee breath and messy hair. But she didn't want to move. Not for the entire world. What she wanted was to bask in the moment and the contentment she felt just being with him. She felt like she needed to store up these memories, just in case these moments couldn't happen anymore.

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_**"It's hard not to get territorial even though he's not 'yours' yet. It's the whole idea that you want him to belong to you and to give you his undivided attention, which you clearly don't get in a situation like this. It's also a little ridiculous to see those other women make fools of themselves. Seeing the interaction makes you remember that it's a competition and it's harder to be yourself…"**_

**-Marissa**

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"Jude!"

The female voice caught her off guard as she came around from the back side of Tommy's patio. The fence that was built up blocked off everything going on in the pool area, but there was a door built into the side, hidden from view and that's how Jude snuck away so she wouldn't get caught leaving Tommy's room again.

She clutched the coffee cup in her hands and offered up a smile to Marissa as she approached.

"What are you doing out here?" The brunette was makeup-less, hair pulled back in low ponytail and Jude fought the urge to flatten her own tangled mass of hair. God…these girls made her sick. Seriously, who woke up looking that good?

"Hey, Marissa. Nice morning, huh?" Her smile was tense but Marissa shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess. What are you doing out here?"

Jude thought she looked suspicious, but may have just been paranoid. "Oh…I came out here to have coffee," she lied. She offered up a sheepish expression. "And I was…uh…trying to see if I could see what was hidden by the fenced off area…"

Marissa nodded, understanding. "Yeah, Katie and I were peaking in there last night, but you can't see much. I think someone told us that it's Tommy's private deck or something."

"So what are you doing?" Jude shifted on the balls of her feet. Marissa seemed to be buying her excuse, but she couldn't be sure that she hadn't been seen.

"I came out to see what the pool temp was. Some of us were talking about laying out if it's nice enough. You should join us," she offered up.

For a second, Jude was caught off guard by the invitation. But she quickly accepted. It would be a good opportunity to get in on the gossip and hear what the other girls were thinking about. Plus, maybe she could stir up the drama before Marcus came after her to do it.

That's how she found herself lounging by the pool in the previous day's dreaded bikini with Sephe and Corey on her left and Marissa and Katie on her right. It was an interesting group. They were all nice in their own way.

Marissa had a mouth like a sailor when she wasn't trying to watch what she said, and she kept complaining about the sun being hot, but she told really good dirty jokes. Katie was laying out with them, but she had herself covered in the highest SPF she could find, along with a hat and a t-shirt.

"My skin burns faster than a marshmallow in a fire pit," she admitted. "It's those damn Irish genes of mine." Jude laughed with everyone else, secretly envious of her 'damn Irish genes'. She'd kill for the natural red hair and that body…

Corey was cutely self-conscious in her one-piece but Jude loved her because every once in awhile she'd come up with a one-liner that would have them all laughing, both because it was funny and because it was something unexpected.

It was Sephe that totally gave Jude pause. Her tats were amazing. True artistic expression and Jude hounded her new friend over possibly designing one for her once the show was all done.

They were all lazing away in the sun, chatting about nothing in particular when several cameramen flew through the sliding doors. They were walking backwards and one of them almost tripped over a lounge chair. He righted himself quickly, camera focused on the door, waiting for…

… Saskia.

The Russian boob-slinger walked out of the doors and into the sunlight, completely topless.

Five sets of mouths dropped open and sunglasses were lowered as the girls simultaneously sat forward, disbelief on their faces.

"What the fuck?" Marissa barked. "She's really just walking around like that? What a whore!"

The sentiment was echoed among the group. It was disgusting, it was nauseating…and yet they couldn't look away as she skanked around on the cobbled path toward the pool. She was wore high heels and bikini bottoms-if they could actually even be called that. It was more like dental floss with a small flap in the front that barely covered anything.

"Holy shit," Jude choked as Saskia settled herself into a lounge chair directly across the pool from them. "Her nipples are bigger than my actual boobs."

Snickering filled the air.

"At least your vagina doesn't need its own postal code," Sephe snarked, shaking her head in disgust as she sat back in her chair.

"Oooh, burn."

"Yes…I bet hers does. That's what happens with some STDs."

The nasty comments continued, some of them bordering on ridiculous. Others just plain disgusting.

"Do you suppose there's a reason she likes bratwurst so much?" Marissa pondered.

Jude held up a hand. "Let's stop that train of thought right there. I don't want to even think about Saskia and bratwurst. It's bad enough watching her eat it…" She made a fake gagging noise.

"Speaking of gagging. That's what Tommy looks like he's going to do whenever she gets near him. Poor guy looked like he was going to choke when she kissed him." Marissa's words were true. He'd confessed to Jude that there had been some frightening tongue action involved in her attack on his mouth during the first elimination ceremony. She'd laughed when he first told her about it, but now, it was just gross. And maybe it was petty, but Jude was really enjoying making fun of Saskia. It was true what people said, that when someone is making fun of you it's to make them feel better. Well, making fun of Saskia made her feel really damn good.

"You can't blame a girl for wanting to get a little bit of the Tommy Q action though," Sephe mused. "The man knows how to kiss."

Jude's giggles over Saskia died in her throat as Katie and Marissa echoed Sephe's sentiment.

"Agreed," Katie's smile was a little too pleasant for Jude's taste just then. "I'd certainly have fun discovering and writing about all the glorious things he could do with that tongue. What I've experienced so far has been…well, let's just say it was inspiring."

"He didn't use any tongue with me," Corey voiced, disappointedly. "But it was a good kiss. Very sweet. He has great lips."

Jude grabbed the mimosa sitting on the concrete next to her chair and quickly swallowed down the rest of it as Marissa spoke up."_Hot_ lips," she giggled. "Certainly makes a girl wonder what else he can do with his mouth."

Four sets of eyes all looked expectantly at Jude, waiting for her to insert her own tawdry and innuendo laced comment.

"I need another drink. Anyone else need more?" Her voice was nervous, the words clipped and high pitched as she shot up out of her chair. She stumbled over the bottom half of the lounge chair, her towel caught around her legs as she tried to move. Once untangled, she made a beeline for inside and headed to the kitchen.

Okay, so she'd seen him kissing most of the girls, but it hadn't dawned on her until that exact moment that she was the only girl in the entire house who had absolutely no clue- none - about what it was like to kiss Little Tommy Q. On the cheek? Yes. And he'd kissed her forehead more times than she could count, but not once, in the entire eight years that they'd known each other, had their lips ever touched. Not even by accident.

Was she supposed to fake it? Should she just laugh and go along with everything they talked about. Maybe toss out some stuff about his nice breath? This was…she didn't know what to do here. She was totally out of her depth. It was like being in Jr. High all over again, wondering what all the girls in the popular group were giggling about when they talked about hot Jared Masterson and why they were glad he got his braces off. She hadn't understood then and she felt like that now.

It wasn't jealously.

It absolutely wasn't.

She felt…left out. She had known him longer than anyone, could describe the exact color of his eyes when they changed with his moods and yet, she could contribute nothing in a conversation about his kisses.

Jude stomped around the kitchen, slamming cupboards. She went to the fridge and stood in front of the open door, jaw clenched as she stared, unseeing at its contents. _Was_ she jealous? And if she was- although she was sure she wasn't- was it jealousy over the kissing or was it that these girls knew a part of him that she'd never known?

It was like a light bulb going off in her head. That theory made sense. They'd shared so much else together and yet…never a kiss. It wasn't that big of deal, not really. He practically gave those kisses away-

She slammed the refrigerator door shut and stood there, glaring at it for a moment before she turned and marched determinedly towards the studio. He was supposed to be there recording with Kwest. He'd just have to put his recording on hold for a few minutes so they could settle this little matter between them and then she could go outside and give the girls some input of her own.

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Marcus ushered Tommy into the studio, cameraman close behind. "I promise this won't take long, but we have to do these interviews every few days to get accurate commentary on what's been happening in the house," he explained. "Some shows wait until the end and then go back and have everyone tape the commentary after watching the scenes, but I want it to look more authentic."

Tommy refrained from rolling his eyes. This was all a part of what he'd signed on for, even if it was an annoying waste of his studio time. "All right. Let's do this…quickly."

Marcus took the chair opposite him in front of the soundboard. "The camera's only going to be on you. We'll cut out all the interview questions or prompts." The shaggy-haired director could feel Tommy's impatience but he ignored it and glanced down at his notes.

"Okay…tell us your first thoughts on the women."

Tommy shrugged, head shaking. "They're all beautiful."

"Say more…" Marcus prompted.

"I'm not fucking Shakespeare. If you wanted poetry you should have written out a script for this part too." His leg bobbed up and down, tension and unease in his posture. This was definitely not how he'd wanted to spend his morning. It had started off well enough, breakfast and then reading the paper. By the time Jude had snuck out through the outside patio doors he'd been feeling inspired again and had been working on lyrics for a new song. Kwest was supposed to help record again and he was ready to get the new tracks laid down. Spouting off insincere praise for women he barely knew wasn't something he found to be interesting or productive.

"I'm not asking for a soliloquy. Just more than one adjective," Marcus countered.

"Fine. The women are gorgeous, phenomenal, kick-me-in-the-pants hot."

"That's great. Now could you say it with a little less sarcasm?"

It was a given, as far as Tommy was concerned, that at some point in the next few weeks, he and Marcus were going to have a knock-down, drag-out fight. When that happened, he was going to relish every single punch he landed on the pretty-boy director's face.

As a professional, Tommy did his best to shake off his irritation and put on his best smile, playing it up for the camera to the best of his ability while Marcus led him through a recap of the events of the first night and elimination ceremony.

"Okay…the first challenge," Marcus prompted, pen poised to take more notes as Tommy spoke.

"I have to be honest; my memory of the catwalk is a little fuzzy. There was a considerable amount of craziness."

Marcus glanced down at his list of questions. "Any standouts?"

Had he not just said he couldn't remember? "I'd tell you if there were." This was taking way longer than initially promised. Where the hell was Kwest anyway?

"Well, what do you remember?"

"Uh…the girl-fight that you've already promised not to air. So I don't think I need to comment on that." He offered up a not-so-friendly smile.

Marcus shifted uncomfortably in his chair and flipped a page on his notes, glancing down briefly. "All right. Let's talk about Jude then."

"What? Why?" Tommy's head snapped up and he eyed Marcus curiously.

"Because she's your inside girl. Let's talk about what that means for you and the show." Marcus' whole demeanor shifted. He seemed more curious, almost like he was digging for information…on Jude. Tommy really didn't like that.

"Jude's _my_ girl." The words came out with a bit of an edge, a subtle warning to the man in front of him. "She's…sometimes words don't do a girl like her justice," he shrugged. "But for better or worse she's been my best friend; the angel _and_ the devil on my shoulder over these last eight years. My life wouldn't be the same without her." A grin slipped past his lips as he spoke.

"How did you to meet?"

His smile split, growing wider, revealing his teeth as the memory was provoked. He forgot about where he was and the cameras in his face and fell back to that day. "She was interning at G-Major. I got stuck with her and we…hated each other. I was mean to her and she was mean to me and somehow we just ended up friends." The story spilled out, Tommy's smile the most genuine it had ever been and Marcus sat back, wondering if he could edit the footage to make the boybander sound this enthusiastic and smitten with one of the other girls.

"She's not like other girls, ya know? She isn't afraid to call me on my shit and tell me what she really thinks. Jude just…she _gets_ me like no one else ever has," Tommy finished, ducking his head self-consciously.

Marcus nodded. "So what happens when the show is over then? Where will Jude fit into your life? Will the girl you end up with have to be good friends with Jude so you can all get along?"

At those questions, Tommy's face clouded over. "This interview is done. Kwest is supposed to be here soon. I'm gonna go wait for him." He pushed out of his chair and stalked past all the cameras, scowling as he shoved one out of his face. He ignored that they were following him and headed away from the studio toward his rooms. He was going to sit outside on the patio and smoke a cigarette from the pack Jude didn't know he kept for emergencies. He rarely needed to use it and had replaced the habit with another, choosing to consume large quantities of red licorice when he felt stressed. Jude knew that and said she preferred his licorice breath to cigarette breath any day. As he dug through the things that he'd already unpacked, he realized that Jude had packed his suit case for him. There would be no emergency cigarettes. If she'd found them at his apartment she'd probably thrown them away. With a disgusted sigh, he reached for the bag of licorice and broke it open. He'd have to make do.

As he sat there, chomping down on the strands of red licorice, he realized that he'd probably over-reacted to Marcus' questions about Jude. It wasn't like he hadn't heard them many times before over the weeks leading up to the show taping. He was continually trying to reassure himself and Jude that nothing would change. Moments like the one they shared that morning, reading the comics together and just being together, made him think that it would be fine. Because if they could have those moments in the middle of all the surrounding chaos, then they could survive the aftermath of the show just as well. At least, that was what he really wanted to believe. Except they were barely three days into the show, with five weeks left and already things were getting to him, things like Marcus and his questions.

Ten minutes and an half a bag of licorice later, Tommy headed out of his rooms back towards the studio. He had plenty of stuff he could work on until Kwest finally showed up.

When he walked in the studio door, a pair of long legs propped up on the sound board filled his view and he stopped short as his eyes traveled from the tips of delicate feet over lean thighs up to a t-shirt that read _"Sarcasm: the body's natural defense against stupid."_

Jude's anxious eyes met his and she sat upright in the chair, almost knocking it over as she stood. The t-shirt didn't cover much of anything and he noticed that she was wearing the bikini from the day before.

"We need to talk," her hands twisted nervously, her words a loud whisper as she eyed the camera crew following close behind. She stepped towards Tommy and grabbed him by the sleeve, pulling him away from the camera guys and into the sound booth. She shut the door, locking it before they could get through. "Turn off your mic pack," she ordered and started to reach around to the back of his pants, but he slapped her hand away and switched it off on his own.

"What's going on?" The camera guys were still recording through the glass partition and Jude glanced at them briefly and then grabbed Tommy's arm and pulled him to the back corner of the booth where they couldn't see.

"You have to kiss me!" she blurted out.

The look on Tommy's face as he registered her words was a clear indicator that he thought she'd lost her mind. "What?" He took a startled step back, but Jude grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him toward her again.

"I said, 'you have to kiss me.'" She repeated the words slowly.

He shook his head. Still confused and surprised. "I heard that. The 'what?' was me asking for an explanation." His hand covered Jude's and he pried her fingers from the fabric of the shirt, glancing at the stretched material before he met Jude's exasperated gaze.

"In case you haven't realized, I'm the only girl in the house you haven't kissed. And I was outside with some of the girls," her hands gestured wildly as she spoke, the words flying from her lips. "and they were talking about kissing and I realized that I _couldn't_ talk about it or stir up trouble the way Marcus wants because I've never kissed you. If I can't talk about you and your tongue realistically, they'll know I'm a phony and send me home. Do you want me to go home?"

"No!" his eyes got big. "But I don't understand where kissing comes into play."

Her loud sigh filled the small room and she looked at him, annoyed. "You've kissed everyone else. They're out there comparing kisses right now and I'm supposed to just sit there and look stupid?"

"Jude…"

"No. It's not like this is a big deal." It was almost like she was giving herself a pep-talk, trying to convince herself. "I just think that we should do it and get it over with. Cause if it happens later, I don't want it to be awkward."

"Do it?" His eyebrow arched.

She nodded. "Yes. It. We should kiss."

Okay, so it certainly wasn't the most romantic offer he'd ever had. "So you want to kiss?" It felt strange to say the words, to verify that it was, in fact, what she wanted.

Her nod came more slowly this time as she bit down nervously on her bottom lip. His eyes were drawn to her lips and he found himself unconsciously getting closer, his body more than willing to comply with her request even though his brain wasn't catching up as quickly. The strangeness of the sudden request had him hesitating. He scratched his head, pulling back slightly. Was his pulse speeding? "This just seems weird."

Jude rolled her eyes, her voice strangely pitched as she spoke. "Please, how is this weird? I've seen you naked and you've seen my boob. A lot of serious relationships have been based on much less."

"I thought we agreed that the 'naked' incident got put in the vault, never to be spoken of again."

"Quincy!" Her nostrils flared with irritation.

"Fine. Come here," he demanded, stepping closer as she moved into him. In all the fantasies he'd ever had about Jude, he'd never once thought that this was how a kiss between them would happen.

Bare toes rested on top of his boots and Jude tilted her head up, still biting her lip. He tilted his chin down, eyes locked on hers. Her breath hitched and he was about to lean in when she wrinkled her nose. "You have licorice breath," she mumbled accusingly, lips moving towards him. "It's a little early to be mainlining candy, don't you think?"

His eyes narrowed and his nose brushed against hers. "It's better than the cigarette breath I could have had if you hadn't thrown them away. Besides…you've got rum breath, Harrison."

"Shut up. You love rum."

"Not at ten in the morning."

"Liar."

He smiled, the tips of their noses touching.

"Just do it alread-." The impatiently whispered words brushed his lips and then he closed the gap, pressing forward, smiling against her mouth as he silenced her. The contact was brief, a jolt of pressure that felt like an electric surge.

He retreated, eyes drawn to her pink lips and the tongue that darted out to lick them, like she was tasting where his mouth had just been. Her eyes fluttered and she frowned. "That's it? That's all I get?" Disappointment laced the words. "I've gotten better kisses from Mason and he's gay."

The taunt hit its mark and that time when he pressed his mouth to hers, he increased the pressure. She responded immediately, lips parting to return the kiss. Lingering.

After a moment he pulled back, slowly, mouth brushing hers with a gruff "How was that?"

"I don't know. Do it again." Her soft demand tickled his lips. Hands cradled her hips as he drew her flush against him. Their eyes locked, both breathing unsteadily. In a flash their mouths fused; pressing, caressing, teasing and consuming. Tongues slipped past lips; playing, dancing and thrusting, imitating a more intimate act.

The kiss was…incendiary. Jude felt like her entire body was burning up as he pressed against the entire length of her, the sensation more acutely intoxicating than any she'd ever felt. Her hands gripped his shirt, pulled at the fabric while his bunched the hem of her t-shirt, fingers sliding along her hips at the string ties of her bikini. The light touch made her shiver. Meanwhile the kiss raged on. She felt herself going under, almost like she was drowning, overwhelmed by the onslaught. The need to resurface became desperate and she tore her mouth from his, breathing hard. An inaudible gasp escaped when she saw his red, puffy lips and the way his chest rose and fell just as rapidly as hers.

Jude swallowed and looked away, self-consciously tucking her hair behind her ears before stepping back, needing distance between them. "I …uh…think that was believable enough," she finally managed once she thought she was under control. "Now I can go…" she gestured toward the door, "uhm…compare your technique with the others."

Tommy's kiss reddened lips tilted into a frown, his expression guarded. "What are you going to say?"

Jude shrugged, feigning a casualness she didn't feel. She was leaning against the wall, using it for support, not wanting him to know just how unsteady she was. Her stomach was doing somersaults and her whole body felt tight and tingly. "A little less tongue…" she choked out, lying through her teeth. There wasn't a damn thing wrong with his tongue or the way he used it.

Those deep blue eyes of his darkened and he leaned into her. "I've never had complaints about my tongue before," he snapped defensively.

"They probably didn't want to hurt your feelings," she tossed out. She slid against the wall, out passed him to escape through the door. For a moment she fumbled with the lock before it unlatched and the door itself flung open, hitting the cameraman before he could move out of the way. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the mic guy sitting down in front of the soundboard.

"How much of that did you just catch?"

Cameraman Jo smirked. "All of it."

For a second, Jude contemplated smacking the asshole grin right off his face, but he wasn't the person she was really angry with. She had no one to blame but herself for this. Now, every time she looked at Tommy she was going to imagine his tongue sliding inside her mouth and…

_Shit. Shit. Shit._

She left the studio as fast as her legs would carry her, not looking back, needing to get away from what had happened. What she had _made_ happen.

Why couldn't Tommy have been a terrible kisser? Why did it have to be like _that_? Like the whole world had fallen away and time didn't exist and it was just them, in their own little private universe. It was so much _more_ than anything she'd ever imagined. And if she couldn't get forget the way it made her feel, it was going to change everything.

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TBC... in Ch 7 pt 2 (coming soon)

disclaimer: Song is "Kiss" by Prince (or whatever he goes by)


	8. Chapter 7 pt 2

Chapter 7 pt 2 - "Let's Talk About Sex"

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"_**A real kiss isn't in the lips, it's in the heart. And if your hearts not in it, it doesn't count."**_

**-Tommy Q.**

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Kwest found Tommy staring off into space while the camera guys were snickering off to the side. He looked back and for the between Tommy and the crew, wondering what the hell would put Tommy off in la-la land and the leave the rest of them laughing.

"Okay. Get out," Kwest finally told the two men. "We're gonna be working in here and there's nothing you can film until we're done." He reminded them. One of the stipulations in Tommy's contract had been that he be allowed to work on his music privately when in the studio, without Marcus' or the show's interference unless it was otherwise specified.

It took a minute and several dark looks but the other guys cleared out and left Kwest alone with Tommy.

"So, what are we working on today, T?" Kwest sank down into the chair next to Tommy's in front of the soundboard.

Tommy didn't respond at first, still staring through the glass partition to the booth. Then he turned his head and blurted "Jude made me kiss her!"

Kwest's eyes got big. Not because of what Tommy said but because of how he said it. The man was clearly in shock. He sounded like a thirteen year-old boy that had gotten caught playing Seven Minutes in Heaven at his first boy-girl party. Not at all like the mostly mature, womanizer Kwest had known since their teenage years.

"Am I supposed to be shocked?" he finally asked his friend. "Because pretty much everyone we know thinks that you and Jude have done way more than just kiss."

"What?" The shell-shocked expression on Tommy's face didn't seem to be fading.

"I believe SME calls you two FWB's. Friends With Benefits." Okay, so he probably shouldn't be teasing Tommy like he was but Kwest wasn't about to pass up this choice opportunity to razz the man that was usually doing all the razzing.

Tommy groaned. "This is…" the words trailed off and he rubbed his face with both hands like he could wipe away his obvious confusion and frustration.

Kwest shook his head and shrugged. "So you kissed. Big deal." He said it casually, hoping his nonchalance over the news would make Tommy realize that it wasn't something he needed to be so worked up over. "I'm really not understanding the problem here, T."

Tommy's head snapped up, tongue clicking against his teeth, a nervous habit of his when he was frustrated or angry. "The problem is that we kissed because she needed to be able to compare my technique with the other women." Laughter filled the small space around him. "It's not funny."

Kwest was still laughing. "It is though. It really is."

"It's not. She said I use too much tongue."

"Do you?" he chortled.

Tommy glared, lips pulled into a thin line. "That's not the point. The point is that she acted like…like…like it didn't even mean anything."

At those words, understanding dawned. Tommy wasn't upset about the kiss. He was upset about Jude's _non_-reaction to the kiss. She was obviously a good little actress if she was able to make Tommy believe that a kiss between them meant nothing to her.

"Have you kissed the other girls in the house?"

A frown settled on Tommy's lips and he gave Kwest an 'are you seriously asking that?' look.

"Did those kisses mean anything?"

"Of course not. They're completely different. Just for the cameras…" his voice trailed off, irritation suffusing his entire body.

Kwest pushed on. "So why was the kiss with Jude different from any of those others?" As he lounged in the chair, he knew that the amusement he felt over this was plainly displayed on his features.

Tommy's gaze darkened, his nostrils flared as he glared at his overly amused co-worker. "I never said it was," he growled. "Besides, what are you? Some kind of fucking shrink now?"

Kwest turned his chair toward the board controls. "I'm just saying," he shrugged and went to work turning things on. "Maybe you need to think about what kissing Jude meant to _you_ instead of the other way around. Figure that out first." His sage advice was met with yet another dark look. He decided then that his fun was over and the best course of action would be to change the subject. "So…what do you want to work on today?"

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It became glaringly obvious that Jude was avoiding Tommy and instead of viewing it as a reprieve, he found himself exceedingly irritated. She wasn't supposed to be avoiding him; she was supposed to be acting like the other women in the house, all dying to spend as much time with him as possible. But no, the minute he entered a room, she was on the other side of it, as far from him as possible. And when all of the girls lined up to see him and Karma off on their date, Jude was nowhere to be found.

Tommy tried to stay focused on the date with Karma. They were going to a nice, five-star restaurant where they would dine privately by candlelight with soft music setting the mood. But his thoughts were far from that. His fucking tie was choking him and all his 'date' could talk about was how she'd always wanted to be a singer. They weren't even alone in the limo. Across the seat from them were two cameramen and the sound guy, as well as Marcus' assistant Anna, who hadn't looked up from texting on her Blackberry since they'd all piled in for the ride to the restaurant.

"Is it warm in here?" Tommy asked, speaking over Karma's story of her first solo vocal performance when she was six years old.

Anna's head popped up. "Uh, you have to let her talk Mr. Quincy. She's gonna have to start the story over." Anna paused and then spoke, whispering as if no one else could hear them. "You should probably try to look more interested."

He couldn't stop the obvious eye roll, but he did stop tugging on his collar and situate himself to face Karma. She'd already started her story over and allowed a small pause for him to react. "Wow. That's fascinating," his tone indicated otherwise. "Tell me more."

Karma eyed him critically for a minute and then spoke. "Do you think we could switch seats? I want the camera to get my good side."

Always the gentleman, Tommy complied. He really hoped the dinner would go fast; otherwise he might have to shank himself with the butter knife.

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"_**All she is interested in is her career, the stupid slut. Does she have no self-respect? She can sleep her way to the top, but no amount of producing will make her sound even half-way decent."**_

**-Parker, 24 yrs old, Moosejaw, Saskatchewan**

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Two excruciatingly awkward hours later they were back in the limo after what was, quite possibly, the most boring dinner of Tommy's life. Karma had gushed about the fancy restaurant and then asked Tommy how often he'd been there. He told her that on his producer's salary he didn't always get to dine quite so lavishly. This was a lie, because he'd taken Jude to the same restaurant several times before and she always complained that it was too fancy. She preferred burgers and bowling to limo's and lobster. Karma hadn't been impressed and seemed disappointed. Then she'd gone on to talk about her favorite subject. Herself.

He had to admit, that while Karma's packaging was aesthetically pleasing, the inside was sort of empty. If this had been happening five years ago, he'd have been all over her, letting her use him for his status, reveling in getting the girl without making any attachments. Now though…he just wasn't interested and he was pretty sure that everyone that was currently packed into the limo knew it. Except Karma.

Despite the vibes of disinterest he'd been giving off for most of the date, she was doing her best to maul him- probably for benefit of the cameras. She kept shoving herself against him, rubbing her chest against his arm like it was seductive. He tried to stay in character, to maintain the Rockstar persona that Darius and Marcus wanted to sell, but he could really only pretend so much. So when Karma's hand slipped up his thigh and moved to a place he didn't really want her to touch, he took action and forcibly removed her manicured paw from his body. His hand clenched tightly around hers and he ducked his head until his mouth was against her ear.

"Do you want to continue to be on this show?" he whispered roughly.

Karma responded with a breathy "Yes."

"Then I suggest you play a little harder to get and keep your hands to yourself. Are we clear?" The quiet words were derisively edged and he pulled back, offering her a fake smile, which she returned with a slow nod. The seductive pout on her face remained but he could see in her eyes that she understood what he was saying. He wasn't interested in her but if she played by his rules, he would let her have the camera time she wanted.

The rest of the ride was silent, much to Anna the assistant's displeasure, but Tommy didn't care. The day had been a long one; too eventful by far after the small amount of sleep he'd managed the night before. He was exhausted and all he really wanted was to crash on those ridiculous animal print sheets of his.

As they finally pulled up to the mansion, Anna reminded both Karma and Tommy that the elimination ceremony was next. After the disastrous date, Tommy really wasn't in the mood to deal with the other women in the house, especially Jude. He knew they needed to talk, but he wasn't going to chase after her just so that she could tell him that it hadn't meant anything to her, not when he had actually felt _something_. Not that he understood what that something was. It could have just been a familiarity that came from being so close. Regardless, it bothered him that she seemed immune to his kisses.

The ceremony that night went a lot more quickly than the first one had. Tommy thought it was probably because Anna was running the instead of Marcus, who had mysteriously taken the evening off. Anna wasn't as picky about things like placement or the order the names were called. As long as it flowed, she was happy. She had him shoot a scene where he seemed to be deliberating over who to keep and then she gave him a couple of key phrases to throw out during the elimination ceremony.

The girls got themselves arranged and he gave his little 'this is such a tough choice for me to make, you're all so wonderful' speech. Jude stood among the women, eyes moving around the room, never once landing on him. He tried not to notice, but it pissed him off enough that he called her name first, forcing Big Lou to shuffle through the backstage passes for the one with her name on it.

She made her way down to where he stood, eyes still not meeting his. The other girls had all dressed up for the elimination, but she was still wearing her 'sarcasm' shirt and a pair of worn jeans. He took her hands in his and waited until she finally lifted her face and their eyes met. There was a hint of defiance in the tilt of her chin and he didn't even try to hide his smile at her stubbornness. He didn't understand why she was acting this way, but they'd been friends far too long for her to be uncomfortable with him. "Jude…I want you to stay in the house. Will you?" It wasn't the standard question that had been scripted for him, but the words were sincere, his smile conveying just how much he meant it, even if he didn't understand her or what had happened between them earlier.

"I-I…yes." She finally managed. He could see that her smiled was forced, but he also saw the nervousness in her eyes. He put the pass around her neck and leaned in to kiss her. She started to pull away but his lips landed on hers and he felt a surge of triumph when the kiss was returned. She ended it as quickly as it started, staring at him for just a minute, expression almost unreadable. It was obvious that they still needed to talk, but he wasn't going to worry about it anymore. He watched her as she made her way back to her spot next to Sephe.

Big Lou poked him with the next pass and twelve more girls were called forward until Summer and Brianna were the only two left. Both girls stood there nervously while the other girls were anxious to discover who his final choice would be.

"Brianna," he called her name and the twenty-four year old bartender from New York City made her way to stand in from of him. The red highlights in her dark hair glistened and she giggled as she approached, eagerly holding on to his hands.

"We haven't had much time to get to know each other these last few days," he paused and took a deep breath. "And that's why it's so hard to make this kind of decision. You seem like a… a really genuine person." Tommy cringed inwardly as Brianna's grin faded with his words. "But I just…I don't think things will work out between us. I'm sorry but…your tour ends here." The poor girl was in tears before he even finished the sentence.

"But I l-love you," she sobbed, clinging to his hands as he tried to pull away.

Tommy's eyes went wide and his gaze immediately shot to Jude, who was barely hiding her amusement and had a hand clamped over her mouth. He gave her a 'help me' gaze to which she responded with her own 'what do you want me to do about it?' look. Her head jerked to the right, eyes moving and Tommy realized that she was directing him to Big Lou.

The burly bodyguard stepped forward when Tommy's bewildered eyes met his and he expertly extracted the sobbing creature from Tommy's arms, guiding her outside where she'd do her exit interview with Anna.

Relief washed over Tommy as the girl disappeared from sight. He quickly called Summer forward and offered up the last pass, which she tearfully accepted like she'd just won an Oscar. Champagne was passed around, the scripted toast was made and fourteen girls crowded around, vying for Tommy's attention.

_Strike that_, Tommy thought as he watched Jude take her champagne and step back from the celebrating group. Only thirteen of the women wanted his attention and the one person he wanted to talk to most, didn't seem that interested.

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_Let's talk about sex, baby_

_Let's talk about you and me_

_Let's talk about all the good things_

_And the bad things that may be_

_Let's talk about sex_

_-Let's Talk About Sex_

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Jude had assumed that nothing could be more embarrassing than flashing her boob on the runway, but she was wrong.

So completely wrong.

An amused and cocky Tommy, wearing a pair of truly hideous silk pajamas while an uncomfortable Big Lou stood next to him, was issuing the second challenge. Marcus was back from wherever he'd disappeared to and had reassumed his role as the nagging director, putting everyone in place. He had Tommy introduce a pervy looking gentleman in a lab coat, who was clearly not a real doctor but playing one for TV.

Dr. Perv showed them all a machine that supposedly measured the blood-flow to a certain part of Tommy's anatomy. Tommy grinned as the good 'doctor' explained but Jude could tell that he wasn't as comfortable with what was about to happen as he let on.

"Part of being a Rockstar is all about touring," Tommy explained unnecessarily. Jude was impressed by how natural his scripted lines were starting to come across. "And sometimes, as my Rock of Love, we'll have to go weeks without getting to see each other. That means the only way we'll get to be intimate is…over the phone."

Jude felt herself getting red, her whole body burning with nerves and embarrassment. This was not going to be good. Not at all.

"So this challenge is all about talking dirty. The doctor is going to be monitoring me while we're on the phone and your job is to get me 'excited'. There is, of course, a prize on the line…a date with me. So don't hold anything back." Tommy finished, flashing them his mega-watt boybander smile.

Jude honestly wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. She'd said plenty of dirty things to Tommy over the years, things that had made them both blush, but this was different. Very different. Not only was she going to have to say these 'dirty' things to him while thirteen other women watched (not to mention the entire production crew) but she hadn't exactly had a chance to talk with Tommy since the whole 'kissing in the recording booth' fiasco. It was her fault because she'd spent the entire day before avoiding him and had gone to bed straight after the elimination ceremony. Now it was ten in the morning, she was surrounded by women in their skankiest lingerie and she was supposed to have 'sexy time' via the phone when what she really wanted to do was apologize to her best friend for complicating a situation that hadn't needed to be complicated.

Her eyes warily scanned the room, taking in the giggles and goo-goo eyes directed at Tommy as he was led off to a different room to get hooked up to the penis engorgement monitor (or whatever the hell it was called). For a second Jude allowed herself to be amused by the idea of Tommy having to stick something to his penis…but then other thoughts crept in and she had to think about something else.

She turned to Sephe, who looked amused and little bit… excited? "Got any experience with this sort of thing?" she asked her blue-haired roommate.

Sephe shrugged. "I'm definitely not a phone sex virgin, if that's what you mean."

"I am," Corey squeaked out from her seat on the other side of Sephe. "This is going to be awful. I have no idea what to say." Jude's own reluctance was displayed all over Corey's face. The poor girl looked like she could be sick any minute.

"Just…pretend like you're someone else, someone…. not you. Then you can just go for it and tell him your dirtiest fantasy," Jude offered. "Oh…and tell him your name is DJ. Seriously, he'll love it."

"DJ?" Corey looked sick and confused now.

Jude nodded. "Trust me. Go with the name DJ. He's got a thing for Full House."

Even Sephe looked a little creeped out by that, but Jude was adamant. She understood how Corey was feeling and she wanted the other woman to do well, especially because she knew that she, herself, was going to be so, so, so very bad at it.

Part of the challenge was that Tommy couldn't know who each girl was. They had to draw numbers from Big Lou's hat and that would determine their order. As the hat came around Sephe got number three, Corey number eight and Jude…. fourteen. She was last.

Great. That meant she got to agonize over it all while she listened to the others.

Her hands twitched in her lap, toying with the string of her drawstring pajama pants. The other girls had really sexed it up for the challenge, but she'd opted for the comfort of a tank top and a pair of long, worn lounge pants that Sadie had slipped in with some of her other clothes. Even Sephe and Corey were tramping it up in their nighties…

Irish Katie went first and they all cheered her on as she made her way to the phone. It had been set up on a round, rotating bed covered in red silk sheets. Tacky to the extreme. As Jude watched Katie settle onto the mattress, she was inwardly glad that Tommy was only going to be able to hear the girls, without any added visual stimulation. The girl was downright gorgeous and the combination of her looks and sexy Irish accent would probably send Tommy right over the edge.

Katie hesitated as she reached for the phone and Jude was surprised to see that the usually confident woman was a bit embarrassed. The jealousy that had been making her just a bit on the grumpy side dissipated at the sight of Katie's blush, which made her more human and less super-vixen.

"Maybe if we whisper to each other we won't notice what the other girls are saying," Jude suggested to Sephe and Corey. While Corey was nodding her agreement, Sephe just laughed.

"Are you kidding? This is going to be hilarious. Don't you want to watch these girls make fools of themselves?"

Jude thought about it. "Hmmm…tempting…"

"Sephe, promise me you're not going to laugh at _us_." Corey's pleas were met with a 'who knows' shrug that made neither of the other two women feel better.

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"_**Thank God my father is no longer with us, because he'd have a coronary knowing his daughter is giving fake phone sex to a stranger! I've written dirtier things in fiction, but I have to admit to feeling uncomfortable myself, saying these things to someone I don't even know."**_

**-Katie**

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"I wanna fuck you like a porn star." Mackenzie writhed on the bed, voice deep and breathy. She let out a few moans and Jude and Sephe both burst out laughing.

"Do you think she has a deviated septum? Is that why she's breathing funny like that?" Sephe joked, making Jude laugh even harder.

They weren't the only ones having trouble keeping a straight face. Tori Lynn was giggling, although her laughter was more out of embarrassment than amusement. Poor Corey hadn't stopped blushing since Katie started talking and Jude was afraid that her friend might not make it to her turn. Sephe had already gone and Jude had been impressed and awed by the casual sexiness she portrayed. The older girl's voice had been raspy and seductive and she'd eased into a story about going for a ride on her bike.

The effect of it might have been really hot if Corey hadn't leaned into Jude and asked why a bike was sexy. Jude had gotten the giggles then and explained through her laughter that it was "A bike, as in motorcycle. Not something you peddle." Sephe had seen her giggling and crossed her eyes at them both, all while continuing her tale.

"I want to be as cool as you," Jude whined when Sephe came back to her seat, clearly unfazed by the experience.

Mackenzie was girl number five and, after hearing Summer do nothing but moan, and Dominique talk about rubbing her ass against Tommy, the threesome on the 'love' couch (as the heart-shaped monstrosity had been previously dubbed) could not contain themselves.

"I want you to tie me up and touch me slowly…" Mackenzie purred and then glared as another round of laughter filled the air.

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"_**Corey tried. It was sort of…sad. But what do you expect from someone who looks like she came from the Bible belt."**_

**-Diana, 24 years old, Toronto ON**

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Sephe was patting Corey's back in a vain attempt to reassure her that it hadn't been that bad. Corey's mortification was written all over her face and Jude sat frozen, unable to offer any words of comfort.

Corey had crashed and burned. She had flat-lined the second she picked up the phone and stuttered out "My name is DJ, what's yours big f-fella?"

It might have worked if she hadn't sounded like a scared five year-old. It had only gotten worse and the laughter of the other girls around the room had not helped.

Now Karma was writhing all over the bed; phone in hand, pretty much faking an orgasm. It was a disgusting display and Jude contemplated asking them to change the sheets. As soon as Karma finished, Nurse Scarlett took her turn. Scarlett was surprisingly good. But, as Diana snarked to all who would listen, her voice was annoying as fuck, almost like nails on a chalkboard. Not exactly a turn on.

But the entire group didn't really care about those girls. No. They were all really waiting for the woman who claimed to be a phone sex 'master', the woman who had phone sex on a regular basis and got paid for it.

It was Saskia's turn.

They all listened with baited breath.

"Hello Thomas. Are you ready to play a little game?" There was a small pause and then the Russian laughed girlishly. "Well, the only rule is that you aren't allowed to touch yourself at all. Not. One. Rub. You can save that for when I meet you in your room tonight, yes? So I want you to just listen…and close your eyes."

Okay…so the boob Barbie was actually good at this. Her thick accent made some of the words hard to understand but the huskiness of her voice…the way she drawled the words, enticing him, teasing…well…it was easy to see that she was good at her job.

"Baby, I hope you like thongs because it's all I've got on."

Jude fully expected her take all of her clothes off right then and was prepared to cover her eyes with both hands. But surprisingly, Saskia was just sitting there sedately, not really moving, just talking- she actually looked…bored. "Ah, god I wish you were here to take it off me. Mmmm…last night I was imagining you sneaking onto my room while I was asleep. I'll tell you about my dream now, yes?"

The entire room was silent. The cameramen had their eyes glued to her, even Marcus had stopped flitting around like he normally did and was just standing there, absolutely still while she went on.

"I wake up with your fingers inside me, pushing your thumb hard against my clit. I'm already coming when I wake up and oh god, I scream so loud for you."

Jude's eyes drifted shut and suddenly she was imaging Saskia's words, like they were real and she was experiencing them herself…with Tommy.

"I don't care if anyone else in the house can hear me and it would be impossible for them not to. I'm writhing against the sheets, ready to cum again, but you won't let me. Every time I'm almost over the edge you remove your second finger and slow down. It is torture. Finally you give in and push three of your amazing fingers inside me and I cum…screaming your name."

Jude's insides twitched and her girl parts got all warm and soft as she imagined just that. Only…if it were her, she'd need more. She'd need…

"But you aren't finished with me yet," Saskia went on. "Before I'm even done cuming you push your huge, hard cock in me. My nails rake down your back as you fill me completely. I clench myself around you, trying to repay you for how amazing you made me feel."

Jude's breath was thready and she felt light headed.

"You are completely in control, holding my hands above my head and going in a slow pace that drives me wild. I scream that I want you to fuck me harder and you do. My legs are around your waist and I'm almost there. By now you are moaning in my ear, telling me how amazingly tight I am around your dick. We are almost there and … It. Feels. So. God."

Oh god…it would feel good. It really would and…

"Sadly, it was only a dream and that whore Jude woke me up before we could finish. Goodbye Thomas."

What?!

Jude's eyes flew open and all the girls were staring at Saskia, mouths agape. Tits-For-Brains just smirked, although it was more of a snarl when she looked at Jude. She'd already hung up the phone and was heading back to her seat.

There was complete silence in the room and then everyone burst out laughing. Sephe was holding her stomach, almost on her side, practically on top of poor Corey, she was laughing so hard. Even Diana was laughing, and Jude hadn't thought she was capable of doing more than sneering.

Poor Tori Lynn had to follow Saskia and while everyone continued to laugh, she made her way to the phone, staring down at it like it was some kind of poisonous insect. Gingerly she sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up the phone. She held the receiver away from her mouth and spoke into it. "Well…hey there…big boy? Uhm…I-I…I thought you should know what I am wearing right now." Her voice turned to a whisper and she grimaced. "Nothing." She pulled the phone away from her ear, disgust on her face and in her voice. "Ew…I can't do this." She dropped the phone and ran out of the room. Probably to go hug her shoes or something.

Marcus stepped forward then, clearing his throat. "Uh…last girl is up."

Jude groaned.

Ah, hell. She really, really, really didn't want to do this. It was awkward, uncomfortable and the least sexy thing she could ever imagine. How could anyone think it was hot to say perverse things into a phone when fourteen people were listening? Well, clearly Saskia hadn't had a problem with it. And it had been kind of hot, but still…it was different now that it was her turn.

Her stomach was rolling just thinking about it.

"Jude, it's your turn." Big Lou's gruff voice startled her, but she shook it off and sat forward on the couch.

"Oh, goody," she mumbled under her breath. Sephe gave her a reassuring smile and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as she shoved Jude off toward the 'sex phone'.

She couldn't believe that their first conversation after the 'kiss' was going to be about sex. Taking a deep breath, she fought the urge to take out her nerves and frustration on Tommy as soon as he picked up his end of the phone.

"I bet you're already half-hard," was the first thing she ended up saying. It didn't come out as disgusted as she'd intended and Tommy laughed from his end of the phone.

"If it isn't my favorite potty mouth. You ready to get me off, babes?"

"Of course. I'd love nothing more than to make you cum," she deadpanned. She paused, suddenly curious about just how arousing this little experience actually was. "Do you get to touch yourself?"

Tommy snorted. "I'm thirty years old. It's kind of a been there, done that thing and I'm being filmed. Does that answer your question?"

"Hmmm…" she had forgotten about the filming part. She was really just wondering whether anything that the other girls had been saying affected him.

"Heavy breathing isn't going to cut it, Jude. Say dirty things to me…I need a good laugh," he taunted.

If was as if he'd thrown down the gauntlet. He needed a good laugh, eh? Well, forget laughing. When she was done, he'd be fucking panting.

She lowered her voice, "I almost came when Saskia was telling you that story," she told him truthfully. She wasn't sure if he would believe that, but a small part of her wanted to know just how he'd react.

"What?" he sounded like he was choking and she had to fight back a chuckle.

"You heard me. I said, I almost came, sitting here, listening to her talk dirty to you. All I could do was imagine all of those things she was saying and then think about what it would be like if you were doing them to _me_," she rasped.

A satisfied smile parted her lips as she heard his breathing get heavy and quick.

"I'd love to wake up to you touching me like that, making me come with your hands…maybe even your mouth before you put your cock in me, holding me down and…"

A garbled "Jude" came through the line and she wasn't sure if he was shocked or turned on, but she was going to go with the latter.

"It would be so hot. I could cum just thinking about it…." Her words trailed off and then there was silence and…

_beep beep beep beep beep_

A dial tone?

The bastard had actually hung up on her.

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He hadn't meant to drop the phone. Not really, but the second she'd started talking about cuming and imagining him making her cum, he'd gotten so hard that he could barely concentrate and that damn thing that they'd made him put around his dick had gotten tight and…

Okay, so he'd hung up on her. But only because if he hadn't, he would have cum right there in front of the camera crew and he drew the line at public orgasms, especially when he was alone.

It wouldn't have been a big deal except that he had a raging boner and was being forced to announce the winner of the challenge. That too would have been fine except that there were charts of some kind, generated by the machine he'd been attached to that indicated by number which girls had excited him the most. It was no surprise when Saskia's had ranked right up there, because it _had_ been pretty hot. But it was Jude who was the clear winner and she definitely would have won the solo date if Marcus hadn't interfered.

Tommy would be a liar if he didn't admit to some relief over that. A date with Jude would have been nice, but he probably would have spent the entire time imagining that phone sex fantasy. Despite his relief, he still argued with Marcus. Apparently, the producers agreed that Jude wasn't allowed to win any of the solo dates because it would defeat the purpose of her being there, which was to learn the other girls' secrets. She couldn't learn any secrets out on a date with Tommy and it would keep him from getting to know the other girls better if she were allowed the solo dates. He understood, but he still thought it was dumb. Plus, it caused an issue with the challenge. It was very clear, through the graph-slash-chart thingy that Jude had won. She'd gotten the blood pumping to his penis more than any other woman, so that meant that the solo date winner would be…

"Corey," Tommy told the girls with a smile. "You and I are going to go on a fantastic date this evening."

Groans of disbelief and protest filled the air.

"But she sucked!" Dominique pointed out rudely.

Tommy glared at big-assed Brooklyn-ite. "That's why she gets the date. Hers was the least arousing phone call…no offense, sweetheart," he grinned at her sheepishly. "So, we're going to go on a date and work on that dirty talk together." He winked at her. Corey blushed to the roots of her hair and he couldn't help but think that it was kind of cute.

His eyes strayed from Corey to Jude and he noticed that she was shooting daggers at him. Ah, shit. He was going to have to apologize to Jude again. What was that, like the eighteenth time in the last four days? He'd probably have to force her to spend time with him.

"Corey's not the only one who wins a date though," he deviated from his script. "The three girls that did the best, also get a group date." As Tommy spoke, Marcus was flipping through his notes, looking confused. There hadn't been plans for a group date…then again, there hadn't been plans to give the solo date to the worst dirty-talker. The group date would be a great opportunity to corner Jude at a place where she wouldn't be able to hide from him. Although, he wasn't entirely sure he should wait that long to get back in her good graces.

The girls all dispersed as soon as the dates were revealed and Marcus made his way over to Tommy, scowling.

"There's no group date scheduled," he pointed out.

"There is now." Tommy moved to go passed him and head for his room. He really needed a cold shower.

"We don't have time for that." Marcus persisted.

Tommy shrugged. "Work it out. Figure out the schedule for tomorrow and we can set something up for before the elimination ceremony. Plus…maybe you can get some footage of Jude and I discussing which girl to sack while we're on the group date. It could be good." He knew he had him there. All protests stopped and Marcus stepped aside.

Tommy headed for his room then, relieved that he could finally go jerk-off in peace.

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TBC...

Quick apology for the mistakes. I didn't get this part betaed.

Disclaimer: I borrowed a couple of lines from IS and the idea for the phone sex challenge from Rock of Love. No infringement intended. The song for this part was "Let's Talk About Sex" by Salt n Peppa. (condiments that I cannot live without. heh.)


	9. Chapter 8 pt 1

Chapter 8- "Something To Talk About"

_People are talkin', talking bout people  
I hear them whisper, you wont believe it  
They think were lovers kept under covers  
I just ignore it, but they keep saying  
We laugh just a little too loud  
We stand just a little too close  
We stare just a little too long  
Maybe they're seeing, something we don't, darlin'_

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Hot tubs were heaven on earth Jude decided, as she, Sephe, Katie and Summer all relaxed in the warm, bubbling water. The cool night breeze ruffled her hair and caressed the bare skin that wasn't submerged. She had her head resting on the edge, eyes closed, listening to her new friends chatter.

Sephe did the honors and topped off everyone's glass of wine before settling back into the water next to Jude.

Jude opened her eyes and smiled. "This was your best idea yet," she told her with a contented sigh. The other women chuckled but didn't hesitate to agree.

It was exactly what she'd needed to relax. The whole day had started out as a disaster. From the phone sex to the tiny little ache she'd felt watching a starry eyed Corey excitedly accompany Tommy on their date. It was what she'd wanted but it didn't make it any easier to take. On top of that, she still hadn't talked to Tommy. Other than the phone sex, which had been…well, she couldn't understand why he'd been such a jerk and hung up on her, but she'd get over it. She might have made some kind of attempt at conversation if he hadn't been so preoccupied. The first time she'd gone looking for him, he'd been flirting with Parker on the 'love couch'. Disgusting. Even more disgusting was the fact that not even ten minutes later he was still on the couch, only with Diana. She'd practically had him pinned to the cushions, molesting him. But he hadn't looked too upset about it.

The only bright spot in the day had been the two hours of alone time she'd snagged. They had been an exceptionally productive two hours because she'd been inspired and had managed to write one song and start another. Of course Marcus hadn't been happy with her for disappearing, but Jude found that he was getting easier to ignore, and so she just nodded and pretended to care.

Sephe's suggestion had been a welcome distraction, except it wasn't doing the best job distracting her. The girls couldn't seem to talk about anything but Tommy. It was annoying, even though she knew that it was expected with the cameras rolling.

"What do you think they're doing?" Summer asked from across the hot tub. The 'them' was of course, Corey and Tommy. "Karma got to go to _The Ives_, which I've heard is amazing. And she wouldn't stop talking about it last night. I heard her bragging about it to Mackenzie when I was trying to go to sleep."

"That place is overpriced and the food isn't that good," Jude piped up. All the girls looked at her.

"Did you go with your '_boss_'?" Sephe asked, eying Jude curiously. Her emphasis on the word 'boss' did not go unnoticed.

"Uhm…yeah. Business dinner." Jude mentally cursed herself. She really needed to remember to keep her mouth shut. This wasn't the first time Sephe had looked at her with that suspicious expression.

Wine. She needed more wine.

"Well, what do you think he meant when he said they'd work on the dirty talk together?" Jude didn't want to think about Summer's question. She'd been trying to keep those thoughts from her mind, had been hoping to pretend that Tommy and Corey were just at dinner, nothing special.

She took another gulp of her wine. What she really needed to remember was that this whole situation was essentially a job. If she could remember that then maybe she could get through it all.

Part of the initial draw had been that she'd be there for Tommy. But he didn't really need her help. If the grin on his face as he'd left with Corey was any kind of indicator, he was doing just fine on his own. Jude's only reason for staying now was to make sure that, when it was all said and done, she'd have the job she'd been coveting for years. If it weren't for her deal with Darius she'd be having three square, home cooked meals and sleeping in a bed made up with Boyz Attack sheets that Marie Dutois used for visitors to embarrass her famous son. But New Brunswick was a plane ride away, and she was stuck in the mansion.

Another gulp of wine left her glass empty as she tried to come to terms with the fact that Tommy didn't need her. The need was hers alone. She was the one that always came to the rescue- whether he wanted to be rescued or not- because she wanted him to need her. But it was that neediness of hers that had gotten her into trouble the day before.

The kiss had been …a bad idea. Now that she was three glasses into the wine they'd uncorked, she knew that it had nothing to do with helping him for the show or making sure her identity was safe, or any of the other things she'd used as justifications. It was about the fact that she had been the only important woman in his life for many years. Even when there had been other women, they hadn't been _important_, and he never brought them around her. She was more than around _these_ women though. She was locked away in a castle filled with skanky maidens eager to win the affections of the blue-eyed Prince. Sucking face with Prince Tommy had been all about jealousy. That little green monster had slithered into Jude the minute she'd first learned about the show. Now it had morphed into a creature that had taken control of her body, and it was making her do crazy things, like demand that he kiss her.

The worst part of it all was that, after experiencing his kiss first hand, Jude realized those other women were right. Tom Quincy was a fantastic kisser. She may have lied to him, but the man's technique was truly a panty dropper. She fully understood the praise and reputation he'd sustained over the years.

"Hey Ju-ude…" Sephe waved her hand in front of Jude's face to get her attention, her voice lilting with the familiar notes of Jude's namesake song.

The far-off look that had settled on Jude's features lifted as she narrowed her eyes at Sephe. "_Funny_. Did you need something?"

"Just wondering what has you looking so serious. In case you missed it, the rest of us are having a good time."

The other girls were all watching her curiously, but Jude just shrugged and held out her glass for more wine, ignoring the camera positioned behind Katie's back and the ogling nincompoop that held it.

"I was thinking about how much I hate Karma. I'd like to kick her big ass and saggy boobs from here to next week." The exaggerated smile she offered them lasted as long as it took for her refilled wine glass to reach her lips.

Sephe and Katie both laughed. "Yeah…she's a piece of work." Katie chose her words carefully, her awareness of the camera acute. It was clear she had no desire to offend, or be the worst offender, anyway.

"It kind of looked like she may have been on the receiving end of a bad boob job," Summer mused.

"Nah…they're real. One was bigger than the other."

The banter, the teasing, and the snide comments about their housemates and competitors continued until their laughter brought out some curious females from the house. When Dominque and Parker made their way towards the hot tub, the foursome made a quick exit, not wanting to share.

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_**"That Jude girl seems to know Tommy too well. It makes me nervous."**_

**-Scarlett**

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The drinking continued inside.

Another bottle of wine disappeared.

Marcus showed up and requested a drinking game for the cameras. It didn't take much convincing. They were just starting a sure to be rousing game of 'I Never' when a commotion from the front hallway interrupted and derailed their attention. There was barely time to investigate before a smiling and laughing Tommy appeared with Corey by his side. The pretty blonde's fingers were threaded with Tommy's and Jude had to look away when she noticed the smitten expression on her face.

"Ladies," Tommy nodded and offered one of his bone melting smiles as he and Corey stopped in front of the small circle they'd formed on the floor in front of the love couch. Two bottles of wine sat on the floor and a line of Dixie cups was set out in front. Each one was filled enough for a shot, some more generous than others. They had opted for wine instead of something stronger, mostly because they wanted the game to last longer. Jude and the SME boys usually played with shots of beer and tried to keep track of who could handle the most. The idea was similar…only the girls were already tipsy.

"Wanna join us?" Summer asked with a wide grin. Sephe was smirking next to her and Katie quickly cleared a spot for Tommy beside her on the floor.

"Sure." He moved closer, shrugged out of his dinner jacket, and carelessly tossed it onto the heart shaped couch. He took the seat next to Katie and pulled Corey down next to him. "What are we playing?"

He was sitting directly across from Jude and she wasn't going to be able to avoid him.

"I Never," Jude answered sweetly, her smile fake as Tommy's gaze met hers.

He shook his head with disapproval. "That's too boring. I have a better idea. Why don't we see how well you ladies think you know me? I'll ask a question and if you get it wrong…you take a shot."

"And if we get it right?" Jude's curiosity was peaked, her eyes still locked on his.

"A kiss from me." His eyes conveyed a hidden challenge, directed at Jude.

The bastard was baiting her.

"What about you? If we're answering your questions…."

"I'll take a shot every time someone gets an answer right."

The others eagerly agreed.

The cameraman zoomed in.

They decided to go in alphabetical order, with Corey getting Tommy's first question.

As he smiled at the spitting image of his pre-teen fantasies, Jude reached out and grabbed one of the shots she'd poured and downed it.

Five sets of eyes looked at her strangely.

"I was thirsty…go on." She waved her hand dismissively and grabbed another shot, tossing it back before reaching for the opened wine bottle to refill the paper cups.

"Okay…first question for Corey. When is my birthday?"

The smile that had been plastered on Corey's face since returning from the date faltered, and her nose scrunched as she thought. Jude felt a fleeting burst of hatred for her cuteness.

"If you don't know then the next girl can answer, but you have to take a shot," Tommy filled in as they all waited for Corey to answer.

As she glimpsed at his amused expression it dawned on Jude that he was up to something, but her hazy mind wasn't quick enough to figure out what. They both knew that there was no way she could lose this game unless she did it on purpose.

"Uhmm….September…" Corey paused and Jude bit her lip as the woman's brown eyes went panicky as they met hers.

Finally she mouthed "17", unable to handle the pleading.

"September 17th!" Corey blurted with relief.

Tommy nodded and his eyes snapped to Jude, gaze suspicious.

She smiled innocently. "Better take your shot and pucker up, _Tommy Q_."

Tommy's hand shot out and picked up a full Dixie cup. He threw back the shot and then, still looking at Jude, leaned over and kissed Corey right on…

...the cheek.

Smirking, he sat back. "Jude's question. What is the name of…" he paused  
dramatically, "...the first artist I produced on my own?"

The urge to roll her eyes was almost overwhelming, but she resisted. "Hmmm...let me think…you started producing on your own in 2005, working freelance for Darius Mills at G-Major until he hired you full time."

Her bored tone was annoying to Tommy and he gave her an exasperated look. "Just name the artist. You say too much and I won't have any questions left to ask."

Her bottom lip plumped out into a pout as she huffed, "Fine. Eden Taylor."

Tommy smirked and nodded while Corey and Katie looked confused.

"I have no idea who that is," Corey admitted apologetically.

Tommy started to open his mouth to explain but was cut off by Sephe's mocking explanation. "She was the first Instant Star winner. Went flat in a hurry. Didn't have any staying power as an artist. Mostly she was a skank, and she breached her G-Major recording contract. No one else would work with her after that."

While Jude was admiring Sephe's knowledge on said washed up artist, Tommy was busy downing his wine shooter. She didn't realize he was moving towards her until his face was in front of her. "Time for your reward." The words were taunting and as his lips got closer, she held her face completely still, eyes locked on his smirking features. Before his mouth could touch hers, a small paper cup was thrust up as a barrier, the side of it bumping Tom's chin as she used it as a shield.

"I'd rather have a shot," she jeered. "I don't know where your lips have been today."

Eyes narrowed and flashed as Jude downed the liquid. Instead of the scathing retort she expected, he merely sat back and turned his attention to Katie.

The cheek kisses for prizes continued another two rounds of questions until Summer changed it up and grabbed Tommy's face between her hands, laying one on him. It probably surprised him more than anyone else.

At that point, Jude gave up on the shots and grabbed the second bottle of wine…it was hers now…she'd just drink straight from it, thank you very much.

Unfortunately, Tommy noticed this and raised a dark eyebrow to tauntingly ask, "What's wrong, Jude?"

She was about to open her mouth and blurt out that she didn't like him kissing the other girls when the game was interrupted by even more of the women of the house. They wanted to join in on the fun, so they squeezed into the circle. Dominique's large ass plopped right next to Jude who had had just enough wine to tell her to move her cottage cheese somewhere else. There may have been a fight if Tori Lynn hadn't chosen that moment to participate in the game and stick herself between Jude and the mouthy Brooklyn bitch. Tommy's questions got harder, revolving around his most recent past instead of the Boyz Attack years, which had been well documented by the tabloids. If Jude hadn't been three gulps away from being smashed, she'd have realized that answering all his questions correctly might seem suspicious.

"How do you…." Corey paused to hiccup, "how come…you …you know so much about …about Tommy?" The words were slow and mildly slurred. The poor girl really couldn't hold her liquor, and she was the worst of all the girls at playing the game.

"Unauthorized biography…" Jude explained. "My sister…" she giggled, "has them all..." It was mostly the truth. Sadie had been quite the fan of Boyz Attack in her pre-teens.

Tommy was laughing from the seat he'd maneuvered into right beside her. "Did Kwest actually let her…?"

Jude reached over and shoved her finger against his lips. "Tommy Q...Is that my question? Cause I think it's my turn…so you better make it good."

Understanding dawned in his eyes and his face flushed from the almost mistake.

"Take a shot," Jude put the cup to his lips

"But I didn't ask a question?" He held her wrist and took the shot anyway, fingers gliding over hers, the touch quick and light. Teasing.

"So ask…" She smiled, relieved to be sitting next to him, close, feeling his warmth. She had missed him the past couple of days. His presence, and talking, and….everything.

He moved closer, arm brushing hers until his shoulder was leaning into her. "Your question is…" his eyes danced thoughtfully, playfully as he looked down at her face. "Since you won't let me kiss you…can I lick you?"

"Where?" Whispering did little to hide the interest in her voice.

An outraged yelp from behind the group went mostly unnoticed, but Jude thought she saw a flash of Karma storming off with several other girls close behind her. It didn't matter, they hadn't been playing the game anyway.

Tommy was speaking again and Jude's attention was riveted back to him, to the moving lips in front of her. "Anywhere you'll let me," he was saying, his head tilting down and closer.

The other girls were giggling, the kind of giggles that only came when you were drunk and everything was suddenly funny. Except when it wasn't and you were crying instead.

His nose grazed Jude's cheek and she smiled, turning her head into his. "I didn't say you could lick me," she whispered, purposely coy, the words drawn out flirtatiously.

"You never said I couldn't," was whispered back, and the heat of his breath against her neck made her shiver.

"True."

"Stop fucking around! Either lick her or move on…" Sephe yelled out as she and the other girls waited their turn.

Tommy pulled back. "I'll lick you later." The wink he gave her made her girl-parts twitch and her head spin. The heat of his gaze caressed her, leaving a trail of tingling warmth in its wake, before his attention was once again on the rest of the women. She wanted to reach out and turn his face back to her, to go back to their private little game where the rest of the women didn't exist.

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_**"These girls look ridiculous trying to hang all over Tommy like he wants them. It don't bother me none cause he looks completely annoyed with them. The only girl that pinches my nerves is Jude. He is always looking at her. Who is she though? Bitch got the body of a 12 year-old boy. Who wants that?"**_

**-Dominique**

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Tommy could see that Jude was irritated. He could also see that she was drunk. The bottle of wine that she'd been clutching like a life buoy was nearly gone and she'd already been on the verge of tipsy when the game started. He was a little buzzed himself. He and Corey had shared a bottle of champagne in the limo, but she'd barely touched hers while he'd finished it off. Top that off with the wine shooters he was tossing back and he was feeling pretty good.

Why shouldn't he feel good? He was surrounded by beautiful women. Some of them were even sweet, cute, caring, and funny. Each the kind of woman a guy could settle down with if that's what he was interested in. And then there was Jude who was…_more_ than he had words to describe sometimes.

Right now the only word he had for her was blitzed.

Admittedly, he was grateful for her inebriated state. She was always friendlier when drunk. And right now, she was being _very_ friendly, which was a nice and a welcome change of pace from the last couple of days. Clearly they wouldn't be able to have the conversation they needed to, but that would come. It was enough just to be able to sit with her and tease her again, to make her smile.

He had not failed to notice she was doing more scowling than smiling though. The scowls seemed directly related to the kisses the other girls were collecting. Every time he gave out a kiss, Jude's lips would plump out into a pout before the corners of her mouth would tilt down. The frown was inevitably followed by a swig from the bottle she clutched. He loved Jude's smile, thought it looked like sunshine on a cloudless day, bright enough to light up the whole world when she was happy, but he was enjoying this frown a little bit too. It was kind of cute watching her go from hot and bothered when he got close to her to spitting mad and jealous when he got close to someone else. Definitely not a side of her he was used to seeing.

The game itself was winding down. He'd run out of questions, and when that happened, they switched to Truth or Dare.

"Jude…it's…your turn," Tori Lynn drawled. She wasn't as drunk as some of the other girls that had been playing longer, but she was tipsy and giggly and had already admitted she had a shoe fetish. No one had been surprised. "Truth or Dare…"

"Dare."

Tommy chuckled as Jude lifted her chin, the gesture wobbly but defiant.

"Okay, babes. Your dare is…to sit in my lap for the rest of the game."

Jude scoffed, but her eyes lit up as she crawled over and settled onto his lap, arm anchored limply around his neck.

He noticed a couple of dirty looks from some of the other girls, but ignored them. The game was getting boring anyway, and he wasn't as amused by the others' drunken antics as he was interested in the woman on his lap. He wanted her close, didn't want her to slip off to her room or disappear somewhere.

Over the course of the entire game the circle had grown and shrunk as girls flocked to participate. Then they either got pissed off because Tommy wasn't paying enough attention to them or they drank too much and left to pass out. Corey had fallen asleep on the couch, her body at an awkward angle, and Big Lou had carried her off to her room. He did the same for Summer shortly after.

Sephe, Diana and Katie were still playing, their laughter boisterous, humor bawdy. They probably could have gone all night with the game but they were all interrupted by a tentative female voice.

"Tom?" He turned around and noticed that Anna, Marcus' assistant was back. She had a cell phone stuck to her ear and pointed at it. "Marcus says that you should wrap up the game. If anyone gets alcohol poisoning and dies, then the producers and the network can get sued."

The girls all groaned. "One last turn!" Katie hollered. She and Sephe apparently had the constitution of gypsies or the Irish going for them because he was pretty sure that they had finished at least three of the bottles of wine littering the floor.

Jude's forehead rested heavily on Tommy's shoulder and he thought maybe she'd fallen asleep, but her head popped up. "Oooh…lightning round!" She enthused.

He chuckled. She seemed to be confused about the game, but she wasn't the only one. The rest of the girls agreed and Tommy was called on to ask questions once again. His participation was only secured when they agreed he could pick the reward, something he would receive from the winner.

The room was silent as he took a moment to carefully choose his question. There was only one person he wanted to win so the question had to be something that a drunken Jude would know the answer to, but not the rest of the girls.

"Alright…last question. What was the name of the dog I had when I was twelve?"

The trio directly across from him broke into simultaneous frowns. There was no way they'd get it. But Jude…she was jumping in his lap, squirming and causing reactions in his pants that he should have been used to.

"I know…I know!" she squealed and raised her hand like she was a schoolgirl, waiting to be called on. "I know what it was." The words were dulled by the alcohol, but her excitement was palpable.

"Ok, Jude." He gestured for her to answer and she grinned, beaming at him with big, drunk eyes.

"Your mom…" she giggled, "wanted to call him Elvis or King…. But you threw a fit because you said Elvis was fat…so she let you call the puppy Ringo. Cause that's when you thought you wanted to be a drummer…" She shifted in his lap, straddling him, her front to his front, hands running over his shoulders and neck. "What's my prize?"

"Oh…nope," he smiled at her, shaking his head. "This time I get the prize from you."

Jude laughed, the sound bordering on a snorted cackle, making Tommy snicker. His hands seemed to be moving of their own accord, palms grazing her shoulders, running up and down her arms, occasionally getting caught on the wild strands of her hair.

"I think I like that," she admitted, eyes getting dark. Her hips shifted and she settled more firmly into his lap. "Go ahead, _big boy_…collect…" Nose rubbing against his, the words were seductively slurred and for a moment, Tommy was tempted to lean forward and do just what she was baiting him to do.

"There's definitely something I want," he finally replied, his own voice husky and teasing. Jude's eyes widened, anticipation spreading over her features, and he groaned as she bit down on her bottom lip before breathing the words, "I'm all yours."

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_**"If there was one threat, I'd have to say its Jude. I'm a perceptive person and I'm pretty good at capturing the essence of people. And there's something about the way she interacts with Tommy that's just…different than the way he is with the other girls. Shared looks when they think no one is watching. Their bond seems deeper, which is crazy for the short amount of time we've been here."**_

**-Katie**

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Katie watched the scene with a detached curiosity. She'd managed to stay alert, despite the drinking, although she had to credit her Irish blood for that. Drinking usually left her thoughts more single-minded and focused. She had so many when she was sober, a veritable stream of ideas that flowed through her mind in a distracting manner. But those thoughts had all been filtered, moving through the tunnel of her mind in the order that they came, one at a time. Right now she only had one thought.

Something was going on between Tommy and Jude.

Their connection was…undeniable. From the very first day he'd seemed to gravitate to her even though Jude pretended to keep her distance. There was clearly something between them, and while it was vaguely disappointing, she understood that this show was about Tommy finding a match, someone to fall in love with. Right now, Jude was the girl. Katie would bet money that Jude would be the last one standing when it was all said and done.

Their banter the whole evening had been entertaining, the taunts flying fast and furious, but instead of inciting anger or discomfort, it drew the couple closer. Like their own brand of foreplay. The games were all done now. Jude sat straddling Tommy's lap, smiling at him as they talked softly, the words barely discernable to the remaining three women. Tommy's smile mirrored Jude's, his eyes conveying amusement and a startling amount of affection. One hand braced the small of Jude's slender back while another absently sifted through the strands of her hair. Noses brushed but their lips never touched. They just looked at each other, whispering.

The ache Katie felt at the sight wasn't for Tommy, but rather for what was nakedly displayed on his face. The longing, the adoration. She wanted someone to look at her that way.

"Is it just me or did the rest of us cease to exist for those two?" Sephe whispered next to her.

Katie's red hair swished as she turned her head to answer. "It would seem that way, wouldn't it?" It was clear that Sephe wasn't particularly upset about it.

As if sensing the scrutiny, Sephe shrugged. "He seems like a decent guy but…no sparks." Her whispered words trailed off and Katie found herself nodding in agreement as she realized that despite Tommy's expert kisses, there weren't any sparks there for her either.

Her gaze was drawn back to Tommy and Jude, taking in the heavy lidded eyes and the way Jude's nose nuzzled Tommy's cheek.

It made sense now. Of course there wouldn't be sparks, not when there were fireworks exploding for him and someone else.

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Tommy helped Jude off to his room, knowing exactly what kind of impression they were giving to the other girls, but not really caring. He felt a possessive need to take care of her; she'd done the same for him plenty of times. And if he was ignoring the normal lines of friendship just a bit, touching her a little longer, holding her a little closer…well, it was just the night and the wine. They could forgive each other later for anything that might happen. Although, it kind of seemed like the only thing Jude would be up for was sleep.

"Come on, babes…let's get you settled," he urged her through the doors to his room and she stumbled forward, collapsing onto the bed.

He closed the doors behind him and turned back to Jude just as she was pulling her shirt over her head. He chuckled as he watched the awkward wiggling and then suddenly she stopped, arms still stretched above her head, the shirt covering her face.

A muffled "hempf…me…stuck…" came through the fabric, and Tommy took several long strides to the bed to help his hopelessly drunk best friend remove her shirt. She was still wearing her bikini and as he tossed her shirt aside, her clumsy hands tugged at the strings that held it up.

He was trying to be a gentleman, he really was, but the second those strings came loose and the triangles that covered the soft mounds of her breasts slipped away, his eyes were riveted.

It wasn't like breasts were something new to him. He'd seen plenty in his day, but these…these belonged to Jude, and it was somehow different for him.

He cleared his throat, trying to get rid of the obnoxious tickle there and force his gaze from her naked chest. "Let me get you a shirt," he choked out.

"Gah…no…it'll choke me." She flopped back onto the sheets, arms spread out above her hair.

"Please let me get you a shirt?" Something was seriously wrong with him. He'd never in his life imagined begging a woman to put clothes on.

"Tommy?" her voice called out weakly.

"Yeah, babe?" He turned his back to her, going to his dresser, digging through the clothes there. He was trying to find a v-neck shirt, something that wouldn't choke her but would keep her covered.

He could hear her wiggling around against the bed-sheets and he almost dropped the shirt he was holding as he realized that she might be completely naked by the time he turned back around.

"The room is spinning," she mumbled.

That wasn't good. He knew what usually came after that. The quest for a non-choking shirt was abandoned. He needed to get her to the bathroom before she puked all over the leopard print sheets she admired so much.

The only thing she still had on was her bikini bottoms. Relief and disappointment fought inside him when he saw that.

"Come on, Big Eyes. Up and at 'em." He reached out to grab her, lifting her from the bed.

"It's spinning…make it stop," she garbled.

"It'll stop soon, I promise."

He wrapped an arm around her waist and threw one of her arms over his shoulder as he helped her stand. He tried to blank his mind and not notice the nipples poking into his shirt, the only barrier between him and her chest, burning holes through the thin material.

Her legs stumbled and she clutched at his sleeve. "Tommy," she whispered, hot, berry breathe fanning his face.

"What, sweetheart?" She was like a deadweight, which admittedly wasn't much, but deadweight nonetheless.

"How come…you hung up on me…?"

"Jude…"

"And then when we kissed…" her words trailed off. "I liked it," she confessed. "I was afraid I would and then I did."

His eyes widened. He knew that if she remembered this later that she would be mad at him all over again, but he found himself oddly thrilled by her drunken confession.

"You're my best friend…did you know that?" she asked.

They were in the bathroom now and he propped her up against the sinks.

"Well, you're _my_ best friend," he told her back once he was sure she could stay standing on her own. His arms were still around her and she had her own arms draped around his neck, looking up into his face.

"I love you," she told him. Her glazed expression was sincere and her hand moved to touch his check.

The whispered words stopped his heart with a thud.

"Do you love me?"

He should have expected the question. But he wasn't sure what she meant, wasn't sure what she was asking from him. Her eyes were large and vulnerable as she looked at him, waiting for his answer. He said the only thing he could.

"Of course I love you, Jude." He brushed the tangled blond hair back from her face and dropped a tender kiss on her forehead. The scent of her was intoxicating, and his lips lingered, prolonging the moment.

"Thaz...good…." She smiled. "Cuz I love you…with…with …all the beats of my heart." She smiled at him, beaming, and his heart twisted with the sincerity of the drunken words.

And then she threw up on him.

Thoughts of 'I love you' were momentarily forgotten as he spent the next ten minutes helping Jude heave into the toilet.

He held her hair back away from her face and rubbed her back with his free hand. "I must love you," he muttered to himself, eyeing the mess on the floor as he felt the wetness seep into his now ruined clothes.

When she was finished, Jude's entire body sagged and a tortured groan escaped her lips. She turned to him and he was surprised to see her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm sorry I'm so gross," she sobbed.

Ignoring the fact that they were both still covered in her vomit, Tommy pulled her close and hugged her, whispering soothing words of nonsense until she calmed down.

"We're both gross now," he told her. She had puke in her hair and his clothes were covered. "Come on, we'll take a shower and get cleaned up, and then we can go to sleep, ok?"

She nodded, but wouldn't let him release her. So, with much effort and some misguided help from Jude, he stripped his clothes down to his boxers and got the shower turned on. He pulled her in with him. The hot spray wet his hair and he pulled Jude under the water until her hair was wet. Then he set about washing the soft strands, ignoring his now wet boxers and the irritating hardness trying to escape.

"Help me out a little bit here, babes," he pleaded. Her hands were moving all over him, sliding over his wet skin, and Tommy didn't understand how he could still be hard after having been puked on.

Jude's head rested on his shoulder, her hands at his hips, tugging on the elastic band of the wet boxers. Her nose rubbed against his skin, and then her lips brushed him, trailing the curve of his shoulder to his neck.

Tommy's entire body tensed and he tried to set her away from him, but he wasn't quick enough.

"I always wondered what you tasted like," she told him. And then her small, pink tongue slipped past her lips, and he felt her lick like a hot brand. Heat seared through him and it was as if he'd been marked, her territory claimed.

Her head lolled back and looked up at him. "Are you gonna taste me?"

He couldn't stop himself…it was like being pulled in by a magnet, lips drawn to hers, wanting to connect.

Then she breathed on him.

He cursed at the smell of vomit and alcohol mixed.

Christ, this was insane.

He scrubbed a hand over his wet face, stealing his resolve and wondering if he could get Jude to brush her teeth once the shower was over.

Jude's resistance was minimal as Tommy valiantly finished washing her up. He deserved sainthood for this. He really did. She was leaning back against the shower wall; eyes closed while he tried to hurry through his own clean up. He figured she was two seconds from collapsing entirely and was proven right when she started to slide down the shower wall. He reached for her. "Hey, hey…up you go. Can't sleep in the shower, Harrison."

Getting Jude out of the shower proved just as tricky as getting her into it and, as Tommy was drying her off, she started mumbling about feeling sick again. With a resigned sigh, he helped her over to the toilet.

It was going to be a long night.

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When Marcus showed up at the mansion at ten the next morning, the entire place was eerily quiet. Karma had been shipped off to the SME video shoot and would be there the whole day for filming. His intention had been to surprise the rest of the girls with a visit to the music video's set so they could watch the process. Tommy would be there too and it would be considered a very large group date, followed by Tommy's impromptu group date before another elimination ceremony.

He found a couple of the girls out by the pool, looking tired and bored as they lounged. Several more were watching cartoons in the theater room. Further investigation revealed that the rest of the women were still in their beds. There was only one individual he wasn't able to account for and, after everything Anna had told him about the night before, he had a pretty good idea why Jude's bed was empty.

Big Lou was half asleep at his station outside Tommy's door, relaxed in one of the large arm chairs from the living room and reading a book. Marcus briefly wondered if the big guy ever got to rest.

"He's still sleeping," Lou mumbled gruffly, not bothering to get up from the chair.

Marcus nodded. "We've got a big schedule today. I have to talk to him and Jude."

For a second, Marcus didn't think the man was going to let him pass, but he gave a curt nod of approval and went back to his book.

The room was still dark, shades drawn over the doors that led to the private patio. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, but when they did, he was greeted with the sight of an empty and unslept in bed.

He briefly wondered if Tommy and Jude had snuck out of the mansion altogether. If the tabloids and Darius had the right idea, together, Jude and Tommy could be a handful. Hell, they were trouble when they were separate too. That was probably why the paparazzi loved them so much.

Irritated, he turned to leave, but noticed the door to Tommy's bathroom was ajar. A feminine foot lay on the floor, unmoving.

Marcus ran a hand nervously through his hair and walked up to the door. An internal debate raged in his head as he got closer. He could leave and make Big Lou investigate what was on the other side of the door, or he could find out for himself. He decided he was too curious to just walk away so he carefully pushed the door open.

For a moment he just stared at what he found, briefly wondering if he should wake them or go get cameras to document the scene.

They were sleeping on the tiled floor, spooned together, facing the toilet, both of them practically naked. Tommy's head was pillowed on a towel and Jude's head rested on his outstretched arm.

It might have been cute if Marcus wasn't inwardly pissed. How was he supposed to direct a reality show about a Rockstar finding love, when said Rockstar was- not only reluctant- but in denial about the woman he could not seem to leave alone?

It was insane.

Jude started to stir, shifting in Tommy's hold, rolling over so that she was now pressed chest to chest with him, her nose buried in his neck. Even in his sleep he adjusted, snuggling her closer. It was like watching a couple who had been together for years, who knew each other so well they could anticipate and accommodate each other's wants and needs. It was…

Marcus straightened at the thought.

It was the kind of oddly fascinating love story that people would salivate and obsess over. Two friends thrown into a crazy situation…

The wheels in his head started spinning, ideas flying forward, bumping around. He wasn't sure how, but this –whatever was going on between Tommy and Jude- might be even better than what he'd originally intended for the show. Now all he had to do was figure out how to play off the new angle.

Hands resting on his hips, he stared down at the still sleeping couple. Until he could figure out his new strategy, things were going to have to go on as planned.

First, he'd need to wake them up.

"Hey! You two..." he raised his voice and nudged Jude's outstretched leg with his converse.

No response.

"Uh…guys! You need to get your asses up." He tried a little louder this time.

Jude blinked and groaned, burying her nose into Tommy's neck. "Ah…hurts…" she grumbled, the noise mumbled against the skin of her human pillow.

Tommy stirred, hand ruffling Jude's hair. He winced, obviously a bit stiff from their all-nighter on the floor. When his eyes opened, he glanced down at Jude, a sleepy, affectionate smile on his lips that faded the second he saw Marcus standing over them.

"What the hell do you want?" he growled. As he became more alert, his sleepy expression quickly turned to irritation.

Jude groaned and shushed them.

"Do you think you two could go one day without sleeping together? You're going to alienate the other women in the house." Marcus was certain that the other women were all aware of where Jude had spent the night. It would probably make for some good drama later, but for right now, he was still kind of irritated.

"It's really too early to be fighting with you," Tommy bit out grumpily.

"Both of you shut up," Jude whined. She pushed herself out of Tommy's arms and sat up, clutching her head in her hands. "Oh…god…pounding."

Slowly her eyes lifted through a curtain of tangled hair to find Marcus watching her curiously.

"Tommy, why is he looking at my chest? Make him stop looking at my chest…" Her voice was a cracked whisper and Tommy immediately glared at Marcus through his own tired gaze.

"Stop looking at her chest," he demanded as he covered her breasts with his hands.

Jude's eyes widened and fell to where Tommy now cupped her breasts. At that moment, he realized just what he'd done and his cheeks flushed. "Sorry…" he paused. "Uh…grab the towel and then I'll…uhm…release you."

It took another minute of fumbling and Marcus felt a bit like a voyeur. He started to turn his back to give them some privacy but Jude covered herself with the towel quickly. She stood up then, a little unsteady on her feet until Tommy helped her.

Marcus sighed and stepped back as they pushed past him to leave the bathroom. "Look, I didn't actually come to fight with you two."

Jude sat down on the edge of the bed and Tommy, ignoring Marcus, went over to his dresser and pulled out a t-shirt. He took it back to Jude and helped her pull it over her head. Then he settled her under the bed covers.

He walked past Marcus again, going into the bathroom. "What do you want then?"

"We have a full shooting schedule today, especially if you want to include your small group date. The plan was to have all the girls sit in on the video shoot for SME. Karma's already there and the limos are supposed to pick the rest of you up after lunch. You'll spend the afternoon there before your other date. And after that…elimination," Marcus explained.

"Fine. Whatever. We'll be ready." Tommy emerged from the bathroom carrying a glass of water and what looked to be Tylenol. He walked over to Jude and urged her up. "Come on, sweetheart. Take this and you can go back to sleep until your head feels better." He brushed the hair back from her face and helped her drink. Then he kissed her forehead.

"She should go back to her bed. The other girls aren't going to like that she's here." The other girls would be mad, Marcus was counting on it. But he was really just trying to gauge Tommy's reaction.

"Whatever. They can think what they want. Jude's staying here. She was sick all night and we both just need a little more sleep. So can we save the rest of this until later?" Tommy didn't wait for Marcus' response. He moved to the other side of the bed, picked up the covers, and crawled in.

Marcus knew he'd been dismissed, and as he turned to exit, he glanced back to see Jude migrating to Tommy, slipping into his arms. Both of them settled back into sleep as Jude mumbled, "Did I throw up on you last night?"

Yep. That was love.

Now he just had to figure out how to get both of them to see it without ruining the show.

8888888888888888888888888

TBC..in Ch 8 pt 2

Disclaimer: Song is "Something To Talk About" By Bonnie Raitt.


	10. Chapter 8 pt 2

AN: I give up. I was going to add more to this part but, after re-reading it a gagillion times I've decided that the rest of my plans will have to wait for the next chapter. I think you guys would die if I put it all in this one. Plus I've made you wait for this part for forever, it seems. I know it's not as long as the other posts, but put together with the first part it's still about a 30 pg chapter... Its better than nothing right? ( in other words, no complaing about the length eh?) All righty then... here it is. Feedback is required... (just kidding, but it's nice) cause this was a hard part to write for some reason. Even though it might be one of my favorite Jommy moments.

Special thanks to InstantStarFan, HopelessRomantic and gwynwhyver for their input and help with this part.

Chapter 8 pt 2

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"Drink up, Princess," Sephe shoved a glass of a thick, unidentifiable liquid in front of Jude's face. They were sitting at one of the tables set up for food service at the video shoot. To be more accurate, Sephe was sitting there while Jude was hunched over, head on the table.

What had she been thinking last night? Why had drinking an entire bottle of wine seemed like a good idea? Why?

Katie and Corey were on the other side of the table. They both looked a little green around the gills, but sipped their water silently and watched Jude with sympathetic gazes.

"I hate you," Jude groaned.

"Trust me. You'll feel a thousand times better if you drink it," Sephe insisted.

"Drinking is what started this whole mess." Just looking at the thick, oddly colored liquid made Jude's stomach rebel. But realistically she couldn't feel worse. Hesitant, she reached for it, blanching as the pungent odor of the mystery concoction met her nostrils.

"Tommy's watching you, Jude. Be brave," Sephe teased.

Jude's middle finger popped up, the gesture directed at anyone and everyone.

She was still mad at Tommy from earlier. He'd forced her out of bed before noon, an unpardonable sin as he well knew after a night of serious drinking, and insisted she attend the video shoot. He'd stood there like a dictator and made her brush her teeth in his bathroom. When he'd tried to brush her hair for her, she slapped his hands away and shoved past him to go find clothes.

The other girls had all made attempts at looking nice. Some more than others. Mackenzie, Dominique and Parker had positioned themselves behind the cameras, in full view of the video director, dressed in their hoochie gear. Their short skirts and sparkling tank tops did little to draw attention from the naked looks of envy and hope on their faces. It was clear that they were all standing there willing Karma to fall down and break something- like her face, perhaps- so that one of them could take her place. Meanwhile, Jude looked like death warmed over. She'd never gotten around to brushing her hair, and all she'd managed to pull on for clothes was a pair of holey jeans to go with Tommy's oversized shirt.

It took a good minute but she got Sephe's vile concoction down, only choking a little bit. As she finished, she wiped her chin with the back of her hand. For a second she swore she could hear Tommy laughing at her and she wanted to hunt him down and smother him, but she was too tired to move.

"So what happened with you two last night?" Corey asked. Her eyes wouldn't meet Jude's and she sat there staring at her fingers as she picked the label off her water bottle.

Sephe snorted. "Tell me you shagged his balls off, Jude. If you didn't I don't think I can respect either one of you anymore."

Katie had picked the wrong moment to take a drink and water sprayed everywhere as she sputtered at Sephe's words.

Jude frowned. "There was no shagging." She shrugged carelessly. "Unless I don't remember."

"How could you not remember?" Corey asked with disbelief. "You were all over each other."

"How do you know? I thought you passed out." Jude stole Sephe's water and took a large drink, hoping to get rid of the after taste from the other drink.

"Everyone's talking you two," Katie explained. "Diana's been sharing the story with all of the other girls."

"Bitch," Jude responded without much feeling. A loud sigh escaped her lips. "You better tell me what happened. The last thing I remember clearly is him making out with each of you during the game."

"You knew all the answers to his questions," Sephe pointed out. Jude ignored her suspicious and accusing look and waited for someone to go on.

"You told him he wasn't allowed to put his tongue in your mouth, because he'd kissed us, but then you said he could use it other places." Katie supplied with an amused grin.

Jude's mouth fell open, gaping. "I did not."

Sephe nodded, smirk in place. "You did."

That was…why would she...She and Tommy had never gotten carried away before and they'd been drunk together plenty of times. Probably more times than she could count, actually.

"You also made out with me." Sephe grinned, white teeth flashing, eyes teasing.

"Shut up. Now you're just making shit up."

"I am. But Tommy did ask if we'd make out. You told him he'd have to pick. He could lick you or you and I could make out."

"Wow. And he picked the licking?" Jude was actually surprised, considering how excited he'd been over her girl-crush.

Corey frowned.

Katie just shrugged, her smile understanding. "He was actually pretty eager. I think he really likes you, Jude. He had his hands all over you and you were in his lap."

"Clearly I was sauced beyond reason." Or they were just being themselves, which the rest of the girls wouldn't understand.

"But you were enjoying his attention. The game was pretty much just about you two. It was like watching some kind of mating ritual. Intensely erotic." Jude shifted uncomfortably in her seat at Katie's description.

"Are you blushing?" Sephe teased. "You are. C'mon, Jude, spill. Was there any actual licking?"

"Do you mean before or after I threw up on him?" She remembered the throwing up, or more accurately, her stomach muscles remembered it. That and she was pretty sure it had come out her nose at one point.

"Oh…that's disgusting." Corey looked like she might be sick. "He licked you after you threw up?"

The laughter that followed Corey's disgusted question made Jude's sides hurt, but it served to end that portion of the conversation.

Corey was back to fidgeting nervously and looking around. She seemed to be intent on keeping her eyes on Tommy and Jude found that interesting. "Diana sure seems to be stepping up her game, doncha think?" Corey's question directed the other's girl's attention across the room.

Jude's eyes stayed glued to Corey, suddenly reminded that the drinking game had not been the only thing that had happened the night before. Corey had gone on a solo date with Tommy. Every instinct she had was telling her to just keep her mouth shut and let the girls continue to watch Tommy attempt to juggle a conversation with Tori Lynn, Diana (who had glued herself to his side) and Saskia. Jude briefly wondered what they could be talking about. They had the makings of a regular think-tank there. The conversation was probably bouncing back and forth between Tori Lynn's shoes fetish, Diana's penchant for pain and Saskia's addiction to phallic food. It was enough to make anyone's head spin. But since Jude's head was already spinning, she went back to studying Corey. Cute, cuddly, have babies with me, Corey.

"So how'd your date go?" She tried to sound casual about it, but her question immediately diverted everyone's attention back to Corey who blushed profusely.

"It was good." She answered with a small smile and Sephe rolled her eyes.

"Details, please. You can't just say it was good."

"I'd rather not…"

Sephe cut her off. "We're going to find out sooner or later, dear. You might as well tell us now before its aired and we only see what they want us to see."

So logical, Jude thought. That's why Sephe was so fantastic.

"Fine." Corey's blush deepened a shade similar to Katie's hair color. "We went to an erotic poetry reading."

Eyebrows rose, interested looks passed among them. Jude was mostly trying to imagine Tommy sitting through a poetry reading, let alone the erotic kind. She would even buy the poetry part because lyrics were essentially poetry and Tommy had a knack for poetry of the musical variety. But erotic stuff? No way. Not the man who tried to cover her eyes during Rated R sex scenes. It had always seemed so strange to her that someone as overtly sexual as Tommy could revert to being a prude about some things.

"Was it good?" Sephe waggled her eyebrows. "Did it leave you panting for more?"

Corey shrugged. "I thought the poetry was great and Tommy was really attentive but he seemed…." Her shoulders slumped. "…bored." The last word conveyed her confusion and frustration over the date. "We talked but he just…his head wasn't in it."

"Maybe it was the cameras. I mean, I've mostly gotten use to them now, but if you're on a solo date with him, it's not really solo. So, that can't exactly be romantic," Katie pointed out.

"You're probably right," Corey conceded quickly, although she didn't sound convinced.

It wasn't right, but Jude felt the slightest bit better knowing that Tommy hadn't been all that engaged in his date with Corey.

The girls kept talking and Jude excused herself to go find the bathroom or at least a small slab of space to curl up in. Normally their constant chatter was only moderately annoying, but her tolerance level was low due to her hangover, so escape was necessary. She'd hide in a stall, maybe find a dressing room to pass out it and then rejoin everyone later, after the video shoot was all done. She really didn't want to listen to the SME single on repeat anymore anyway while they continued the shoot. It was a song that Speid had written about her after she'd made it clear that they weren't going to be anything more than friends. When they had helped the band record it Tommy had looked irritated the entire time, which made him less pretty. Jude really wasn't in the mood to deal with Tommy Q's version of ugly today, not after everything that had already gone down in the last few days.

Ignoring the evil looks she was getting from the other women in the house, Jude headed toward the hallway where the bathrooms and dressing rooms were. The story about her night with Tommy had made its rounds, with plenty of corroborating witnesses. There was no way she could spin it as anything other than what they were all assuming. No one would believe the truth so they were just going to have to hate her.

The bathrooms were in a back corner of the studio. It was a bit of a maze to find them but Jude wasn't worried. She'd just collapse in one of the dressing rooms, there were plenty of empty ones. The hallway was dark, but this wasn't the first time she'd been to the studio so she knew her way around well enough.

A low, muffled noise, something that sounded like a moan met Jude's ears as she turned the corner. Was someone hurt? Sick? She hadn't seen Summer since they'd gotten to the shoot, maybe she was still suffering from the after effects of the previous evening's fun.

Jude kept walking, her steps moving her closer to the noise. The moaning got louder and breathier as she reached the next door on the right. It was partially open. Unable to help herself, she stepped forward to peer in the open space.

"Oh Speedy…" came another groan and Jude almost gasped as she registered just what it was she was seeing.

Speid and Karma were…

…they were…

Oh my god. Speid and Karma were having sex in an empty dressing room.

Jude slapped a hand over her mouth to prevent any noises of surprise or disgust from passing her lips. The polite and normal response would have been to walk away. But she was neither of those things and so she stood there, feet locked in place. Her eyes took in the scene with equal parts interest, fascination and revulsion.

Another "Oh Speedy…" drifted through the open door to Jude's ears. Her gag reflex was getting ready to kick in when she felt a presence behind her. Before she could turn around and see who was there, a warm, hard body pressed up against the length of her back. Her body tensed and then instantly relaxed as she realized it was Tommy.

His hands rested on her hips as he pulled her closer to him, his chin resting on her shoulder, lips next to her ear as his eyes caught sight of the show she was taking in.

"I never took you for a voyeur, Harrison," he teased. The words were so soft that she barely heard them, but she felt them whispering past her ear.

She didn't respond but could feel him breathing; the soft puffs of air changing pattern, the slight hitch an indication that he was just as aroused by the scene as Jude had been.

A deep moan filtered from the room to their ears and their eyes were glued to the scene.

"Wow," Jude breathed. "He never tried that with me," she mused.

"I should hope not. That little punk almost got you arrested," Tommy growled, forcibly pulling her away from the door and down the hallway from the fornicating duo.

Jude snorted. "And now he just stole one of your girls." Her voice betrayed her amusement as they left that hallway and turned into another.

Tommy stopped moving and shrugged. "Can't say I'm terribly crushed. Karma's not really my type."

Jude crossed her arms in front of her chest, hip cocked to the side. "And when did you realize this? Before or after seeing her bent over that chair for Speid?"

He frowned. "I couldn't care less that's she's hooking up with Speid. I knew ten seconds after meeting her that she's just an industry groupie."

Jude shifted and leaned against the wall. She still wasn't completely recovered and she wasn't ashamed to use the wall for support.

"Not to mention that she's a terrible kisser. Too grabby," he added as he propped himself up to face Jude.

She smiled, unable to help herself. "But you like grabby," she teased and reached out, poking and grabbing at him in jest. He weakly defended her advances. She was just reaching out to pinch his thigh when he shifted just enough to force her hand to brush the front of his pants, right above the bulge that he couldn't hide.

"Ah…I definitely like that kind of grabby. Just a little lower would be perfect." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively as he grinned down at her.

Jude quickly pulled her hand back and her cheeks warmed. Instead of her usual snappy comeback she mumbled "Sorry" and turned to escape.

"Not so fast, grabby." He pulled her back by her wrist until she was right up against him and smirked when she wouldn't look at him. "It's my turn…"

"Tommy…"

"What? It's only fair, Jude. You touch me inappropriately, I touch you inappropriately. And I have a lot of touching to make up for after last night." As he spoke- his words, low and husky- his hands gripped her hips to anchor her in place and he pressed her back flush with the wall.

Jude's breath caught, waiting for him to go on as she realized she _wanted_ him to touch her inappropriately. _Very inappropriately._ She didn't even care about the reference to the night before, all she could focus on was the heat pooling in her lower body.

Tommy leaned forward, hot breath fanning her face as he brought his mouth to her ear and whispered, "The camera crew is filming and there are two girls peaking around the corner. Play along. We'll start some trouble."

His words were like cold water in her face, a reminder that this wasn't real. It was all play for the cameras. She mentally steadied herself. If he was going to tease, she could do the same. It wouldn't mean anything- it was just part of the game.

Her eyes met his and immediately recognized the challenge issued by the cerulean orbs. "Do your worst," she finally whispered back, the anticipation on her face a mirror of his. A second later she bit down on her lower lip as his nose nuzzled against the sensitive skin where her neck met her earlobe. A part of her was curious just how far he was willing to take things. It was like a game of 'chicken or go'. She could play with the best of them and wasn't about to be a 'chicken', not when the 'go' part was so damned appealing.

His hands moved slowly, sliding from her waist until one curved around her backside to cup her ass while his other hand gripped her thigh. The movement pulled her further into him, making her squirm as she felt him pressed against her more intimately than she'd ever felt him before. She tingled everywhere their bodies touched and sucked in a deep breath as his erection pressed into her abdomen. Heat pooled there, like smoldering flames and she couldn't resist the urge to grind against him, to get even closer.

"Jude…" he growled her name as he dragged his mouth along her jaw-line until their lips were centimeters apart. His breath was hers – heated, erratic. It didn't feel pretend, not when his hands were touching her like that- caressing and kneading. The hand on her ass moved quickly, traveling with a determined stroke up her torso until long fingers cupped her breast through her shirt, molding the soft flesh in his palm. Jude moaned at the contact and the movement brushed their lips together.

His eyes flashed- dark and aroused- but she was too busy reveling in the sensation of their touch, of his hand thumbing the peaked nipple through the fabric of her thin t-shirt, making her nerve endings sing.

The bruising force of his mouth against hers was startling. The intensity of it took her breath even as she returned the kiss. Her tongue thrust against his, mimicking the hungry action.

Oh god, it felt good. His lips against hers, tongue exploring her mouth as her hips pressed urgently against his. Her fingers fisted in his shirt, one hand stealing up and underneath the hem, splaying across the muscled back, digging into hot skin.

Open mouthed kisses trailed along her jaw until he was nipping at her throat. Jude sucked in ragged breaths, her head spinning. She felt dizzy, undone and if Tommy wasn't pinning her to the wall, she'd be a pile of mush on the floor, but she didn't want it to stop.

His lips came back to hers, demanding and hard as the hand on her thigh urged her willing limb up and around his hip until her center thrust against his erection.

The camera crew was snickering off to the side, leering as the couple's rocking hips and roving hands were caught on film. Another camera zoomed in on their faces, getting the expressions of both- eyes closed with their frantic, out of control ardor. The microphones caught every whimper, moan and groan.

Dominique and Tori Lynn were watching, both of them equal parts pissed off and fascinated. They were angry because it was Jude that Tommy was practically screwing against the wall, but there was also a certain fascination in the discovery that Little Tommy Q was clearly as passionate and exciting as they'd all been imagining. Now they just had to figure out how to make the girl in his arms disappear so they could take her place.

The couple was in their own world, neither of them paying attention to the reasons the entire interlude had started.

Tommy should have known he was playing with fire when he'd started to tease Jude. But he hadn't been able to help himself. He could still see her mostly naked body in his mind's eye- the way she'd looked in the shower, drunk but still fuckable. Christ…he'd been imagining her naked for weeks and then to feel her body, skin to skin with his and not be able to do anything… It had been a torture that he'd only been able to endure because she'd been so sick.

She wasn't sick now though and she was responding to every kiss, every thrust of his tongue and hips. It was like he'd lit a match and now they'd both gone up in flames.

It occurred to him as he squeezed her perfectly shaped breast in his hand that he'd been afraid of this with her for years- since the moment she'd first called him on his bullshit. Something had sparked then and he'd known the second he gave in, gave it a chance that it would burn out of control.

He hadn't felt this kind of lust…well hell…he couldn't remember when he'd last felt like this with anyone.

Tommy's thoughts splintered as the rocking of their hips grew fevered, Jude's soft mewling cries of delight made him groan and he realized he was seconds away from coming in his pants. His hand left her breast reluctantly but quickly maneuvered between their bodies until his fingers brushed the button and zipper of her jeans.

"Why aren't you wearing a skirt?" He growled in frustration as his fingers fumbled with the zipper tab.

A distracted, needy moan was all Jude managed for an answer.

"I'd be inside you already if you had a skirt on." The rough words vibrated past his lips and against her cheek. Tommy felt Jude's body quiver and tighten as a startled cry left her lips.

He pulled back, surprised as he looked at her face. "Did you just come?" Her eyes were closed, her breath coming out in heavy pants. She bit down on her swollen bottom lip. Her cheeks were flushed a becoming shade of pink and, as her dazed eyes opened, she gave a jerky nod.

For a moment they just started at each, both of them sucking in air. Then Tommy was moving back in, ready to take her mouth in another kiss, to finish what had been started. "My turn," he whispered and moved his hands back to where they'd been on her body.

As he felt himself going under, Jude seemed to be regaining her senses and her body stiffened, but the tightness wasn't from pleasure. While he was kissing her neck, her hands pushed at his chest until he felt the pressure and pulled back, eyes questioning as she slipped out from his hold and started to move away.

"Where are you going?"

He didn't understand what was happening. One minute he'd been ready to take her against the wall and the next she was escaping while he stood there with blue balls that were probably navy dark.

Jude walked backwards and shook her head. "This is me…hanging up on you, Tommy."

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Ten minutes of hyperventilating in the rest room had done no good. Jude was still twitching all over, her lower body throbbing, legs shaking. What the hell had she just let happen? And what the hell had Tommy been trying to prove? They'd gone from platonic friends to dry-humping against a wall in front of a camera. How did that even happen? Had it really all been for show?

Jude groaned as she held herself up over the sink. The water was running and she splashed her still warm cheeks with cold water.

She was so…embarrassed.

The worst part was that it had been _good_. Good as in…a thousand times better than any of the other fumbling encounters she had in the past and she hadn't even had to take off her clothes.

And Tommy…oh God. Had he really meant it? Had he been acting when he'd said that stuff about being inside her? It was those words, whispered in that sexy, gruff voice of his that had put her over the edge. He'd said them and she'd imagined it and after all the touching and rubbing and grinding she'd been done for, she'd shot right over the edge.

If he hadn't looked so shocked after it happened, things might have gone further, but she'd seen the surprise in his face and after that all she'd been able to think about was that he was acting and she was…not. She'd actually let herself believe that he wanted her and that was a problem.

"Well, well, well…" a snarky voice pierced through Jude's thoughts and she quickly looked up into the mirror to see Karma standing behind her.

Jude turned around. Karma was the last person she wanted to deal with right now, not when she was feeling vulnerable and confused and…

"So I caught the end of yours and Tommy's little show and I must say…impressive."

"I don't know what you're talking about." The line of Jude's mouth tightened and she straightened to her full height.

"Oh…I think you know exactly what I'm talking about, Jude. I'm really surprised that I'm the only one to see through your's and Tommy's little ruse."

Jude had no idea how Karma could stand there, looking so smug and put together. She certainly didn't look like a woman who'd been letting SME's lead singer do her doggy-style less then ten minutes earlier.

"You don't know anything about me and Tommy," Jude told her, crossing her hands in front of her chest.

"I know that Tommy couldn't care less about finding love and that this is all just some twisted publicity stunt to launch his career," Karma asserted with a confident sneer.

Jude kept her face blank.

"And I know that you're his little fuck buddy. Always by his side and now you're along for this ride too."

"You're so full of it," Jude's words were more confident than she felt. Inside she was shaking. She so didn't need this, not right now.

"Am I? Seriously Jude, I'm surprised no one else has figured it out. I know who you are, and the other girls are getting suspicious. It took me until last night to finally put it all together, but after seeing you two interact, the way you hang on him and he can't keep himself away from you, it became obvious."

"I don't hang on him, Karma. This is a competition. We're supposed to be trying to win his affection."

"But why would you have to do that, when you clearly already have it?" She mocked. "Don't play stupid, Jude. Tommy doesn't need to find 'love' because he's got you…but he needs the publicity. So what better way to do that than to truss you up like someone he doesn't know and then pick you to win."

"You are sadly mistaken."

"Look, I couldn't care less about the little plan you and Tommy have cooked up to boost his career. He made it clear to me that he wasn't interested, but I'd like to think that he understands what I'm here for. I want the same thing he does. Publicity."

Jude rolled her eyes. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because, you're his…friend or whatever and you can convince him to keep me here as long as possible."

"I have no control of who Tommy keeps or doesn't keep. I'm in this just like everyone else," Jude told her, lying. She wasn't about to admit to anything, even though Karma had pretty much gotten at least half of the story right. Not the love part. That wasn't right…at least not the way Karma was implying. But why would she say that?

"You better get control, because I have no qualms about exposing you to the rest of the girls," Karma threatened smugly.

Jude glared. "You do that and I'll tell everyone you just shagged Speid in one of the dressing rooms. 'Oh Speedy….right there…'" Jude mimicked. "And I wasn't the only witness. Tommy got an eyeful too. That's certainly not going to keep you here."

Karma's confidence faltered for only a split second, then her chin tilted up and she looked at Jude defiantly. "Clearly, we both have something on each other. All I want is to stay as long as possible. Hell, I don't even want to be the girl he chooses. I can milk the publicity more if I'm the heartbroken reject. But I don't want to leave before I've had more time."

Jude honestly wasn't sure what to say to any of this. "Look, I'm not saying that I can even help you, but _if_- and that's a big _if_- I had any kind of control over the decision, you'd have to be sure to keep your mouth shut," she paused. "And stop spreading rumors about me and Tommy."

Karma laughed. "That's not something I can control. You two do that to yourselves."

"Do you want to stay or not?" Jude glared.

"Fine. But I can't help you if you and Tommy can't keep your hands off each other. It was bad enough that you were sneaking into his room, but I can hardly stop stuff from going around when you guys put on a show screwing each other against the wall for all to see," Karma huffed. But she straightened her shoulders and held out her hand. "Do we have a deal?"

Jude hesitantly held out her own and hand and quickly shook Karma's. This was probably the worst thing that had happened since…oh since, she'd had an orgasm from frotting with Tommy fifteen minutes ago.

"Glad we had this little chat," Karma smirked and then took herself out of the bathroom.

Jude watched the door as it closed, her hip now leaning against the sink.

How in the hell had things gotten so out of control? And how was she ever going to face Tommy again?

She spent the rest of the video shoot avoiding him, not to mention Karma and Speid and pretty much everyone else that even tried to talk with her. There were plenty of girls to distract Tommy, but that didn't mean Jude didn't feel the way he kept staring at her as she sat –brooding silently- next to Sephe while they watched SME rock out with Karma. The song that kept playing on loop wasn't helping things. "All Over You". She knew Speid had written it for her a long time ago but the lyrics seemed to fit her situation now.

_In my daydreams, in my sleep_

_Infatuation turning into disease_

_You could cure me, see all you have to do now is please try_

_Give it your best shot and try_

_All i'm asking for is love_

_But you never seem to have enough_

_I've gotta feel you in my bones again_

_I'm all over you_

_I'm not over you_

_I wanna taste you one more time again_

_I'm all over you_

_I'm not over you_

_This life is way too short to get caught up_

_and all mixed up when i just want you to love me back_

_Why cant you just love me back?_

Jude didn't know what she wanted or what she should expect from Tommy but she felt like she needed to make a decision. He was going to want to talk and she was going to have to figure out how to deal with the situation without giving too much of herself away. What they'd shared- despite the cameras and other voyeurs- was more intimate than anything they'd shared before and it was unnerving to feel that vulnerable. She'd always been able to keep little pieces of herself from Tommy in a small attempt at some kind of self-preservation. But today that had been shattered when she'd come apart in his arms and she was afraid that her only option, if she wanted to come out of this situation with any kind of dignity, might be to just leave. To get out while she still could. She'd been dangling on the edge of loving him more than she should for a long time. If they crossed that line, if she let the physical part of their relationship become more, then she was going to fall. Hard. And she didn't know how she'd ever be able to pick herself back up once that happened.

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

TBC...

Disclaimer: Song is "All Over You" by the Spill Canvas

Also...the line about Tommy's blue balls being 'navy dark' was borrowed from Crizzy. Thanks!


	11. Chapter 9

AN: This is like Jommyness overload. Be warned. Thanks for reading, please leave feedback. I apologize for any mistakes. Song is Rihanna's.

* * *

_Chapter 9- __**"Hate That I Love You"**_

_That's how much I love you  
That's how much I need you  
And I can't stand ya  
Most everything you do  
Make me wanna smile  
Can I not like you for awhile_

_But I hate it...  
You know exactly what to do  
So that I can't stay mad at you  
For too long that's wrong_

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Flowers. The idiot had sent her flowers. Or rather it looked like maybe he'd had Big Lou dig them out of the yard. There was also a note, hastily scrawled in Tommy's distinctive handwriting.

___Jude—_

___I know you and I know you're probably pissed as hell but I'm begging. DON'T LEAVE! I'm at your mercy. Forgive me,_

___Tommy_

Sniffing the fragrant blooms and ignoring the dirt that clung to the uprooted stems, Jude shook her head. She wasn't sure what he wanted forgiveness for because – aside from the humiliation and embarrassment that had quickly consumed her after the encounter earlier- she was fine. Truthfully, she'd been fine until her brain had gone berserk and started over-thinking the whole 'experience'. That's when the embarrassment had set in and she'd suddenly become unsure just how she could face him again. But the note and the flowers- lame though they were- served as a reminder that he was still Tommy and still her best friend, despite the 'more than friends' feelings he evoked in her. They could talk through anything. This wouldn't be any different, although it didn't mean she wouldn't make him suffer a little bit.

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Tommy watched Jude carefully during the limo ride to the small group date location. She'd positioned herself as far away from him as she could, which left him sandwiched between Saskia and Mackenzie. The smell of bratwurst and some other cloying, nauseating perfume was suffocating. He probably looked like a fish as he sucked in air through his mouth instead of his nose so the scent of hooker wouldn't leave him choking in the confined space. It was becoming increasingly more difficult to control his gag reflex, especially with the women's continued attempts to plaster their body parts to his. And Jude just sat there across the seat, head tilted back against the leather, eyes closed and long legs stretched out as she ignored him.

He'd been surprised and relieved when she appeared alongside the other two girls for the date. A part of him had been very afraid that his apology would mean nothing and that she'd leave the mansion altogether. He certainly wouldn't have blamed her if she had, especially knowing her as well as he did. Now that he knew she was staying, groveling and begging were the first things on his agenda as soon as he had alone time with her.

For now she was keeping her distance and even though he'd rather have her right next to him, he had to admit that the view from where he sat wasn't too shabby. In typical Jude fashion, her appearance for the date had surprised him, because she'd actually put some honest-to-god effort into getting ready. Now he couldn't stop staring at her legs, those long, lithe limbs that had been half wrapped around his hips earlier that afternoon.

A small part of him was disappointed that she wasn't wearing a skirt but the short khaki shorts were just as sexy in an understated and classy way that suited Jude. It helped that she'd paired the shorts with red high heels and a white button down shirt. She'd rolled the sleeves up on the shirt and the front tails were knotted at her stomach. The more he studied her, the more he realized just how sexy the outfit was. It looked demur and casual, but she really only had about three of the shirt's buttons done, leaving the collar to flare open, giving small glimpses of bare skin when she moved. She'd left her hair down and the loosely tousled blonde strands reminded him of waking up next to her in the mornings and…

Tommy's thoughts splintered, the babbling of the other two women became a low hum of background noise and his gaze was riveted to Jude. She was doing that little stretching thing she always did right before she drifted off to sleep. Her shoulders would tense and relax and then her back would arch and she'd make the tiniest little gasping noise in the back of her throat. She was doing it now, her lips parted, expelling that little gasp and…Oh Christ…

He shifted in his seat, but with dumb and dumber on each side, he couldn't really move much to adjust what was going to be a rather noticeable erection. Maybe if he thought about something other than Jude and those noises she made he could control his body. The fact that Saskia smelled like Bratwurst could only help the situation.

After what Tommy thought was the longest limo-ride in the history of the world, they arrived at their destination. The camera crew exited first and then filmed Tommy helping each of the women from the limo. As he offered a hand to Saskia and Mackenzie, Jude slipped out the other side and walked around the back.

Anna was frowning fiercely as Jude rounded the limo and stepped onto the sidewalk. "Jude, you have to let him help you out of the car?"

"Why? You've already filmed him helping them out. Can't we just go inside before anyone I know sees me standing outside of this place." Distaste was evident in her voice and she eyed the club in front of them with annoyance and displeasure. Tommy winced inwardly as he realized that he had not helped his case with Jude by choosing this venue for the date. In his defense, he hadn't had a whole lot of options and it had required calling in some favors to even make it happen, especially because they'd had to get permission to film the place.

Jude's gaze turned to Tommy and she arched an eyebrow. "Is this your idea of romantic? A burlesque show? Seriously?"

Tommy frowned and was about to respond by pointing out that she went to strip clubs with SME when he remembered the camera that was pointed at his face, eager to record every word. "Trust me…this will be fun." And then he smiled his most charming smile and ushered the girls inside. He made sure to walk behind Jude and when he reached out to guide her with a hand to her back, she stiffened, glared at him over her shoulder and walked faster.

Clearly, she was going to make things difficult.

Once they were inside the burlesque club, the owner, who happened to be a good friend of Darius', greeted them and told them to enjoy the show and drinks on the house. The man was more than happy to have the free publicity that the reality show would provide and took advantage of the cameras.

Tommy watched Jude out of the corner of his eye as Stan droned on and on about his little establishment. She was bored out of her mind and her eyes were wandering around, taking in the décor. She seemed a little surprised that it was tastefully decorated, but it was clear that this was not her idea of a fun night out. But Tommy wasn't sure how much of that was because she was still mad at him or because she didn't like the place. He was leaning more towards the fact that she was still mad at him. That meant that operation: beg Jude's forgiveness, was a definite go.

They were seated quickly and Saskia and Mackenzie got their makeup retouched, as did Tommy. Jude waved the makeup girl off and flagged down the waitress. Even though drinking got her in trouble, she was not about to sit through this date without a little bit of alcohol. She was trying her best to stay annoyed with Tommy. It would have worked too, if the club had been as cheesy as its name –The Burly Q—but it was actually pretty decent looking inside. And the waitresses were fully clothed, even if their uniforms were skin tight.

She wasn't really mad at him anymore, but it was fun to watch him squirm and to pretend she didn't notice him looking at her every five seconds like he was trying to gauge her mood. It would be so easy to just give in and pretend like nothing had happened and everything was fine.

The waitress brought her Bacardi and diet coke and took drink order for the others. Jude ordered a second one while she sipped on the first and Tommy shot her a look. She just shrugged and smiled.

"This is so great," Mackenzie gushed, big eyes taking in the place and sizing up the stage. "I've never been to a place like this before."

"Well, the stripper pole on the stage should make you feel right at home," Jude snarked. Mackenzie glared at her, nostrils flaring unattractively.

"I am not a stripper," was her less than witty comeback.

Jude just rolled her eyes. Tommy said nothing as he watched the exchange with amusement. Assistant Director Anna was grinning from behind the cameraman on Jude's right and it was oddly reminiscent of one of Marcus' grins. Creepy.

Saskia started talking to Tommy, running a long, manicured nail down his chest over the charcoal colored suit jacket he wore over a black t-shirt. Jude didn't even bother trying to understand what the woman was saying through her thick accent. Although it was fun to watch Tommy pretend to be interested.

A look of relief washed over him as their drinks arrived and Saskia sat back to sip on her vodka-based concoction. Jude finished off the first one quickly and started in on the second. Tommy raised his eyebrow at her and she offered up a fake smile and lifted her hand to silently toast him before taking a big drink.

The conversation was boring, boring, boring as they sat there and waited for the show to start. Mackenzie wasn't very interesting and listening to her was the equivalent of watching wet-paint dry. Saskia was slightly more entertaining but she was a weirdo and it had ceased to be amusing. And Tommy, well, he was proving to be exceptionally talented as an actor. Jude had never seen someone pretend to care the way he was pretending to care. Although…he'd been acting earlier when he had her up against the wall…hadn't he?

Her musings were cut short when the waitress returned yet again. This time, instead of bringing drinks, she extended an invitation to the ladies at the table. "If you'd like, the dancers would like to invite you to join them on stage for the show. You can watch the first dance and then they'll bring you backstage to change and you can be a part of the dancing."

Oh. Dear. God.

Anna was positively glowing. Saskia looked like she had the devil in her and Mackenzie, while hesitant, wasn't opposed to the idea.

"Hell-fucking-no." Jude mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?" Tommy asked her, grinning. The bastard had probably heard and wouldn't let that slip by unnoticed.

Jude turned to him. "Sorry, baby. I don't dance," she simpered fakely, trying to look disappointed and apologetic for the sake of the cameras.

The light in Mackenzie's eyes changed and it was like Jude had just conceded, finally giving someone else the opportunity to shine and impress Tommy. "I'll do it!" The brunette declared with determination.

Jude had to turn her face away so that she wouldn't start laughing. It was entirely too funny. The eagerness probably wasn't even about Tommy, but about 'winning'. Some people didn't care if they looked stupid, as long as they got what they wanted in the end. In Mackenzie's case, she was determined to make some sort of impression on Tommy. She didn't even want to wait to see the first dance of the night. With a loud smack against Tommy's lips, she eagerly followed the waitress back to the dressing rooms to change into something else. Saskia wasn't about to be upstaged by some mousy brunette and quickly followed.

The camera crew split, half of them following the two women, the other half staying to watch and record Tommy and Jude.

Even though there was music playing in the club, the air around Tommy and Jude was uncomfortably quiet.

Despite her dislike of the other two women, they had served as a buffer. Something Jude couldn't remember ever needing between her and Tommy. There had always been an easy, relaxed feeling that accompanied being with him. It had just felt right, but this, this was awkward and she wasn't sure how to fix it, especially with the cameraman gawking unapologetically as they filmed from two feet away.

From the corner of her eye she watched Tommy twitch nervously for a moment, his posture stiff as he bounced his leg up and down. Finally he turned to her. "I can't take this anymore. We have to work this out. Right now. I now you're pissed and you can't imagine how incredibly sorry I am for…ya know…"

Jude's mouth opened and closed and then a helpless laugh escaped. "You're apologizing for giving me an orgasm?" The incredulous question caused a burst of laughter from the cameraman to her right and her cheeks flushed even as she tried to ignore the intrusive presence.  
Tommy looked even more uncomfortable, if that was possible. His eyes darkened and his mouth hardened as he frowned. "That's not…"

Jude interrupted, talking over him as she tried to preserve some pieces of her dignity before the conversation could go places she had no control over. Control was important here. "Look, these last few days have been crazy. There are hormones flying everywhere and honestly, it's been so long since anyone has 'touched' me that you could have been a doorknob and I'd have gotten off. So you don't need to feel like you did anything."

Tommy's eyes narrowed and then he actually looked offended. "Are you comparing me to a doorknob?"

Eyes darting around the room, past the still snickering crew, she reached out without looking at him and patted his thigh. "You're more pliable," she reassured with a half- teasing, distracted smile. She needed to pretend this wasn't a big deal or she and Tommy's relationship would spiral even further out of control and she'd lose the best friend she'd ever had.

"Gee, thanks. You could at least tell me it was good," he demanded sulkily.

Jude made a show of rolling her eyes. "Don't be stupid," she paused as her eyes went to the stage. The dancing had started, woman wearing more clothes than she'd anticipated had taken to the stage and they were accompanied by some very good-looking men. But the sight of the mostly dressed dancers wasn't enough of a distraction. Tommy's attention was still focused on Jude.

She sighed. "It was fine… and I maybe…I guess I probably was lying when I said that stuff about your kissing technique," she tried to placate him with the words. If she was really being honest, she'd have to admit that his kisses left her boneless and aching in naughty places.

He smiled, pleased with the admission. "So, I'm a good kisser, eh?"

"Don't get too cocky, there." She eyed his lap and then abruptly shifted her gaze to his smirking eyes. "I already said it's been awhile so when I say that you're kissing is okay; it just means that I don't have any recent experiences to compare it to. Besides that," she continued. "You were pretty quick on the trigger there. Another minute and I think you'd have gone off. What's your excuse?"

His eyes flashed and she knew she had him there. It wasn't fair that she was the only one in the hot seat for her orgasm. He'd been there and he'd been just as hot for her. Even if it had started as an act, he'd responded. She warred with herself, wanting to remember that and knowing that it wasn't healthy for her to look at it from that perspective. He was a guy and those things happened to guys. In her experience, guys weren't picky about what got them going.

Tommy took her taunt with ease and just shrugged. "I guess it's been a while for me too," he admitted. "And we are in a house of females. You could say I'm primed for some action."

His words confirmed her thoughts and she felt a little stab of something in her gut, but quickly tramped it down. She'd known that he hadn't been reacting to her, but rather the situation.

A big gulp of her drink preceded an indelicate snort. "So, what? You've been without for like a month?"

"Longer."

Jude's head snapped right to look at him. Her eyebrows rose. "What about that glamazon you took to dinner last month? Isn't she like, a Victoria's Secret model or something?"

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "The food was more interesting than her company." He leaned forward to grab his drink. "Besides, I got that idea for a song half-way through dinner that night. I even called you, remember?"

"Yeah, but after?" She remembered his call. She'd been working on her own music but had stopped because he'd been so excited about his idea, which had developed into "It's Not My Time", one of their better musical collaborations.

"Nope. I dropped her off at her hotel and went back to G-Major."

Her expression was still incredulous as she studied Tommy's unperturbed features. He looked serious, and she couldn't detect any of the usual tells that he was lying. No eye squinching or that tongue biting thing he did. "I don't believe you."

"Believe it," his gaze met and held hers, making a point.

"Ok. Fine. So long has it been?"

His eyes got squinty, forehead scrunching as if he were calculating in his head. Or maybe he was getting ready to lie. "Six months-ish," he finally mumbled.

"What?!" Jude squawked with disbelief.

Muffled snickers came from the direction of the camera crew and Jude shot them a quelling look.

When she looked at Tommy, the surprise on her face couldn't be masked. Her gaze drifted down to his lap before she leaned in and whispered. "So is something…er…wrong with it?" she gave a subtle head tilt, directed at his crotch.

Tommy's entire body stiffened. "I can assure you nothing is wrong with it," he glared at her, his expression beyond annoyed.

"Are you sure? 'Cause it felt fine earlier but maybe…"

"Jude, seriously! There's nothing wrong with my dick," he hissed out.

She knew she was provoking him but he did kind of deserve a little bit of teasing and it was actually making her feel a bit better. Less off kilter. "Well, if it's not your dick's problem, them maybe you're just losing your touch with the ladies."

The dance number on stage changed, momentarily capturing Jude's attention, but Tommy's gaze was still on Jude. "I'm sorry, who gave you an orgasm this afternoon? Oh, that's right…Me." He sat back in his chair, a look of satisfaction on his face as he defended his prowess.

It was Jude's turn to glare. She'd set herself up for that one. "I already told you, you could have been…"

He waved her off absently. "Yeah, a doorknob. Whatever. I bet I could get you off without even touching you."

Jude scoffed even as she felt a vague twitch deep in her belly. "Whatever. You're not that good."

"Wanna bet?"

Her nostrils flared. "That's just stupid." She crossed her arms stubbornly in front of her chest and turned to glare at Tommy only to end up nose to nose with him.

She sucked in a breath as his hot words brushed her face. "I double-dog dare you to let me try."

"No way," shaking her head, she leaned away from him, turning to stare, unseeing at the stage as she tried to focus on taking deep, even breaths. That didn't seem possible when the object of her lust and affection was offering up an orgasm.

"Are you scared?" His mouth was next to her ear, warm breath brushing her cheek. It was a challenge to him. She'd questioned his manhood and now he was acting out. That's all this was, she told herself.

"I think you are," he went on. "I think you know I could do it. Tell you what…you were doing pretty good with the phone sex. Let's make it a two sided bet. I'll do you and you can do me, so to speak."

She kept shaking her head, arms still crossed in front of her as she stubbornly tried to ignore him. Her chin tilted up. "I have no incentive to take you up on this."

That was a lie. There was plenty of incentive. But it was wrong. Totally wrong. He was playing with fire…and she was dancing around those flames, edging closer and closer and, if she wasn't careful, she was going to get burned.

He seemed to relent, but she knew him too well to believe that he'd given up. His voice took on a cajoling tone. "Don't you want to know if it's possible? It's certainly never happened to me before, but I'm confident I could make it happen for you. Sexual relief for the both of us. There's really no downside."

A battle raged on, Jude's heart thumped wildly as parts of her clamored to shout YES and beg him to do it right there. Other, more rational parts, parts that weren't aching for a repeat of that afternoon's groping session, were telling her that it would be a huge mistake. A line-crossing, friendship-ruining, mistake.

She opened her mouth but had no words and quickly closed it.

"It'll be good," he promised huskily, his mouth brushing against her ear as he spoke up over the music. Her eyes closed and she swallowed, hard. She could feel his grin against her jaw. "C'mon, Jude. You've never backed down from a dare before."

"Fine. Just so you'll shut up about it," she bit out tensely. "Now will you watch the show?"

She refused to look at him and see that triumphant smirk that she knew was plastered all over his face.

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___But I hate it...  
You know exactly how to touch  
So that I don't want to fuss... and fight no more  
Said I despise that I adore you_

___And I hate how much I love you boy  
I can't stand how much I need you  
And I hate how much I love you boy  
But I just can't let you go  
And I hate that I love you so_

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"So you never said- how long has it been for you?" Tommy watched from the corner of his eye as Jude fidgeted next to him. Her fingers drew patterns in the condensation of her glass and even though her gaze was directed at the dancing, it was vacant stare. At his question, her eyes snapped over to him and he quickly pretended to be engrossed in the show, like the answer to her question didn't really matter.

She shrugged it off. "Does an actual number really matter?"

"Tit for tat, Harrison. I shared. Now you have to. Besides, it could affect the bet. The longer it's been for you, the easier it will make my job."

She mumbled her response, the word 'bastard' barely discernable and he could tell she slurred her words on purpose.

"What was that? I'm not sure I heard you right."

"Two years," she hissed, grimacing. "It's been two years."

He was trying really hard to be pleased with that answer, but he was sure she could see that he was. He didn't know why it really mattered, but he liked that it had been awhile.

Jude gave a jerky nod of confirmation and looked away, once again intent on the show.

But Tommy wasn't about to let it go at that. Some kind of insane jealous, beast had taken over his brain, one that would let him move and wanted more details. "So, just no sex or no…anything?"

"Do you really want details on my sex-life, Quincy?" In two seconds she was going to hit him, he was sure of it, but he wasn't one to let something like this go.

"It's just something we've never really talked about before."

"There's a reason for that. It's because I don't want to hear what you have to say about yours and I don't want your commentary on mine," she pointed out. "Shouldn't you be watching your hoochies dance for you?" Saskia and Mackenzie had come out onto the stage. Tommy hadn't even realized they were there and he briefly let his eyes seek them out. They were giving their best impersonations of the burlesque dancers, mimicking the movements of the other scantily glad women and their male counterparts.

"I've seen this show before," he told her and then winced when she have him her 'you're a disgusting pig,' look.

"Fine. But I think we need to have this conversation, Jude. So despite your reluctance…we will finish this later." The words were issued as more of a seductive promise than a threat and Tommy thrilled at the flush in Jude's cheek and the way she kept her eyes glued to the stage, pretending to dismiss him.

He let his arm drape casually around the back of her chair and focused on the erotic dancing. It took a minute but Jude relaxed against the back of the chair, his arm brushing her shoulders, but she wasn't paying attention to him. She was watching the show with more interest as the dancing grew more provocative and outrageous.

"You better be smiling because Saskia and Mackenzie look like idiots," he growled.

Jude chuckled. "You wish. Did you see that guy on the left? The one will those sleek muscles and really big…"

"Jude!" The hand that wasn't around her shoulder moved quickly and covered her eyes as the guy in question, wearing the tightest leather pants Tommy had ever been unfortunate enough to see, came forward and began gyrating his hips in a manner that should have been kept in the bedroom.

Jude had to use both hands to pry his hand from over her eyes. "Feet. I was going to say feet. Jeesh. What were you looking at?"

He kept her head squished against his armpit, at the ready to cover her eyes again. "Don't play innocent with me, Harrison. If you were looking at his feet, than I'm the reincarnation of Elvis."

"I don't know…that guy on stage has the hip moves down," she teased and then laughed as she shifted her head and caught sight of Tom's dark expression. Reaching out, she pinched his cheek. "Cheer up, babes. Sometimes you do the Elvis lip sneer just perfect. Like now." Her eyes were filled with amusement as she looked up at him, then she snorted and shook her head as he continued to glower. "I honestly wonder about you, Quincy. You can talk sex and orgasms and hump me against the wall, but if anyone else does or say anything remotely sexual around me, you freak out."

His arm was no longer around her shoulders, instead, both were crossed in front of his chest as he assumed a pouting posture. "That's different. You know me and…"

"You cover my eyes during movie sex scenes!"

"Maybe I don't want you to have unrealistic expectations about sex," he offered weakly.

That made Jude laugh. Tears formed, she was laughing so hard. Saskia and Mackenzie were glaring at the couple from the stage, neither of them happy that Tommy's attention was on Jude instead of them.

"Why are you laughing?"

"B-b-be-c-cause my expectations for sex were formed a long, long time ago."

Tommy's expression went from defensive and surly to serious as he studied her and thought about her words. "What do you mean?" he finally asked.

She bit her lip and shook her head. "Never mind. Let's watch the show." As she spoke, a pissed off Mackenzie was leaving the stage and making her way to the table. She slid into the chair next to Tommy and he gave her a quick smile and a "You were great," that didn't sound very sincere. It was enough to make the woman smile again so that her face didn't looked like gasping fish.

Jude was mid-eye-roll when she caught sight of Saskia. The Russian titty-monster was center-stage and had stolen the show when they weren't looking. The other professional dancers faded into the background as Saskia began a striptease that was more skanky than sexy. Her shirt flew towards their table as her hips gyrated in time with the music.

It was like watching a car accident from the side of the road, rubbernecking to see what happened; only this was worse. It was Saskia stripping off all of her clothes, with her giant nipples on display. Her bra landed with a strap around Jude's drink and she recoiled, scooting her chair back.

The skirt and dental floss she used for underwear headed their direction and Tommy was snorting as he tried to hold in his laughter when the panties landed on Mackenzie's head. Her brown ringlets adorned with g-string, Mackenzie squealed with disgust and jumped up from her chair and took off towards the restrooms- probably to try and keep the disease housed in the thong, from spreading.

Neither Tommy nor Jude could tear their eyes away from the spectacle before them.

"Is your mouth hanging open?" Jude asked. "Cause my mouth is hanging open."

"My entire face is twitching. I don't know if I should laugh or throw up," Tommy admitted.

Saskia went from vertical to horizontal, rolling around on the floor, doing pelvic thrusts as she ran her hands all over her naked form.

And then, before Jude could process what was happening, the bratwurst loving boob-head had her legs facing them and they were opening and…

Jude grabbed for Tommy's hand, jerking his arm. "Oh Christ! Cover my eyes! Cover my eyes! Now would be a good time to cover my eyes!"

Tommy's hand stayed over Jude's eyes until the last notes of music played out. When he tried to move away, she protested his retreat. But he was stronger and she squeezed her eyes shut tightly to prevent any more images from being burned into her retinas.

"It's okay," Tommy soothed, his hand pushing her hair back from her face. "She's covered now."

Jude took a deep breath and opened her eyes as Saskia, covered by a robe, was escorted off the stage by two large security guards while the other dancers watched, wide-eyed from behind.

Turning her head, Jude's own large eyes looked at Tommy. "I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit."

He laughed and pulled her closer to his side, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "Me too, Babes. Me too."

8888888888888888888888888

_____And you completely know the power that you have  
The only one that makes me laugh_

_____Sad and it's not fair  
How you take advantage of the fact  
That I... love you beyond the reason why  
And it just ain't right_

888888888888888888888888888

Jude couldn't stop giggling. And it wasn't because she was drunk or high or nervous. She was sitting with Tommy on his nice little enclosed patio, eating the Tiramisu he'd forced the show's caterer's to deliver to his room. The dessert was a bribe, or at least had been intended as such if Jude hadn't accepted his flower apology. Tommy's sheepish admission had been cute. They'd dug into the coffee-flavored cake and now she had the giggles. She could barely even look at Tommy without laughing.

She tried to compose herself and keep her eyes focused on her favorite dessert. She paid special attention to her fork and successfully managed a bite before her eyes skidded to Tommy again and the giggles renewed themselves without her permission.

"Ok, come on, Jude. That's the third time you've spit food all over 'cause you're laughing. That shit's only cute when you're like…two years old and even then, only your parents think that way. Everyone else thinks it's gross."

She almost choked as the giggles became full-blown sucking-in-air laughter, but ended up coughing instead. "I'm sorry. I really am," she wheezed. The giggles seemed to be controlled and she offered her best friend a contrite smile. "I think this is how I react to traumatic experiences," she confessed and then blanched. "I'm pretty sure the image of Saskia's hoo-ha is burned into my brain."

Tommy winced and shook his head sympathetically. "You know, I'm not opposed to hoo-ha per-se, but when flashing it almost gets you arrested…"

Jude couldn't believe she was even thinking it but, poor Saskia. Due to her impromptu strip tease, the club's owner was contemplating pressing charges. The Burly-Q, while risqué was not a strip club, therefore Miss Boobs-attack, could be charged for indecent exposure, especially since the club could lose its liquor license. Stan had explained that some clubs could have a liquor license if there wasn't full nudity involved with the dancing.

Luckily, there were no charges made, but Saskia, Tommy, Mackenzie and Jude weren't going to be welcomed back anytime soon. Of course, that wasn't the end of it. The show's producers were not happy about the incident and Tommy was strongly encouraged to let the Russian down easily. She was a liability and if Tommy wasn't in love with her, they wanted her gone.

The elimination ceremony had centered on Saskia's dramatic and tearful exit. She'd left in a cloud of harsh-sounding Russian, presumably every bad word she knew. Marcus had done the exit interview and had returned with a glow that most women would envy, which meant he must have gotten some crazy shit from her.

"So what I hear you saying is that you don't like crazy, Russian hoo-ha."

Tommy smirked and forked another bite of the decadent dessert. "I'm getting choosier about my hoo-ha preferences in my old age."

Jude's laughter joined his and it felt good to be normal again, almost like that afternoon's escapades hadn't happened.

"Did anyone see you sneak out?"

She shrugged. After the 'shocking' elimination, the rest of the girls had been quick to go off to bed- or at least the ones who had been drinking the night before. Jude had made a show of heading up to bed, but Sephe was fast asleep when she got there, so she'd turned back around gone out by the pool. Pissy Parker and Nurse Scarlett had been in the hot tube, but they'd looked more interested in each other than Jude, and were too drunk to really notice here. Jude had grabbed a lounge chair and soon the duo had made their way back inside.

"Gah! I almost forgot…" Their comfortable silence was over. "I had a nice little chat with Karma today…" She spilled the entire story, leaving out the embarrassing parts and focusing on the attempted blackmail.

"I ought to eliminate her next," he ground out, irritated.

Jude shrugged. "Eh…she's actually pretty harmless. As long she believes she's got this over us, she won't really do anything. She wants to create drama and be the center of attention…shocker. She doesn't even really want to end up with you in the end because it's better publicity to be jilted by you than in love with you. That and Speid gave it to her pretty good."

Tommy smirked and rolled his eyes. "Fine. But seriously, if she tries to threaten you again…"

Fork in hand, she waved off the concern. "I can handle Karma. We've dealt with way worse in the studio."

Tommy took Jude at her word and there was another, comfortable lull in the conversation. She helped herself to more Tiramisu and he sat back to relax in the chair.

Eyes closed, he might have drifted off peacefully if Jude hadn't started making little mewling sex noises while she ate that second piece of dessert. His eyes opened and he started unabashedly as she licked the cake from the fork, tongue darting out to get every single crumb.

Noticing Tommy's intent gaze, Jude paused mid-bite and raised her eyebrows. "What?" she garbled around the mouthful of cake.

"It's later," he pointed out. His eyes were dark and she could the teasing glint in them, along with something else she didn't quite recognized as he looked at her over the candles lit around them. "Time to finish our conversation from earlier."

She deserved extra credit for not choking on her food when he spoke. She even managed to swallow before finally speaking. "I don't know what you're talking about."

A dark eyebrow quirked, his expression conveying that he didn't believe her.

"You know, the conversation about sex and how we never really talk about it?" he reminded her unnecessarily.

The frown on her face almost made him laugh, especially as she mumbled "oh…that conversation.

He nodded. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

She snorted indelicately. "I don't think we have enough time for you to delve into your sexual history, Quincy."

"C'mon. This is sharing; it's what best friends do. They share details. I mean, not a lot of details, but…"

"All right, stop already. Next you'll be talking about feelings and wanting to give each other pedicures."

"That is untrue. I wouldn't let you near my feet," he joked. "Don't make me whine."

If she didn't cave soon he was going to pull out the big-guns and give her that look she couldn't say no to.

Jude watched him carefully, eyes narrowed. "I know that look, Quincy. You're plotting devious things. I can't even begin to understand why you're so geeked to know about my sex life."

Tommy shrugged. He wasn't' sure where this was coming from either. Maybe it was because he'd always thought he knew everything about her, but now he knew more intimate things- that she kissed better than any girl he'd ever been with, that she fit against him perfectly and flew apart in his arms. He also knew that she hadn't had sex with anyone for two years and he realized that even though she was his best friend, there were parts of themselves that they hadn't shared with each other. It reminded him of that day at the pier. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but it had been less than a week since that moment where she'd refused to share that song and he'd felt her slipping away from him. This conversation was, in a twisted way, about him holding on, grasping at the tenuous thread of their friendship and needing to know everything about her.

"Tommy…" she sounded uncomfortable and exasperated but he ignored that.

"Full disclosure, Jude. I'll tell you, you'll tell me. No secrets between us. C'mon. I've never offered that up to anyone."

"You're being weird," she mumbled under her breath, but conceded with a small nod.

As soon as she nodded, he shot up from the chair, blew out the candles and pulled her inside, making a beeline towards the bed.

Jude settled on her back on top of the covers, an arm thrown over her eyes while she waited for him to start his inquisition. She could feel him as he propped his body against the headboard, eyes on her.

"We'll start with an easy one…most awkward sexual experience."

Her arm lifted from its resting place over her eyes and she looked up at him with an 'are you kidding me?' expression. "You mean aside from you humping me against the wall this afternoon?"

"It doesn't count if you enjoyed it," he countered. "It couldn't have been the worst. What about your first time? That's always bad for girls, right?"

She was seriously starting to doubt Tommy's sanity. "I think you need to be on some kind of medication. Or maybe you took something and that's why you're acting like this…"

He didn't say anything; he just looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to respond.

The waiting became a staring match; slate grey clashing with ocean blue as their gazes held and Jude wondered again just what the point of this exercise was. As their little contest continued, Tommy's features started to morph into the 'look' and Jude knew she was lost. She wished she was a stronger person, wished she didn't love him and want to share every part of herself with him because of it.

"What if I don't want to remember?" she looked away.

She felt his shrug as the sheets moved. "At least you have a memory. All I have is a vague recollection. The most memorable part was the hangover the morning after. Fifteen years old, drunk, in the back of a tour bus. I'd say that's pretty awkward."

She caved, her cheeks flaming at the memory and the fact that no one else in the world knew what she was about to share with him. She hadn't even told Sadie. "Fine. It was…Jamie. After I turned seventeen and it was….well, it was awful." She couldn't believe she was actually telling Tommy this. She groaned and then let out a partial laugh as she recalled just how bad it was. "He had it all planned out for a night when his Nana was at Bingo." From the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Tommy's mouth twitch, but she continued. "It was completely…awkward. I mean, it was strange and just…yeah, I guess strange sums it up pretty well," she paused. "He was so nervous that he couldn't stop talking."

Tommy laughed out loud at the annoyance in Jude's voice, even as a small part of him recoiled at the idea that this had happened during the early stages of their friendship. And with Jamie, no less, who had seemed harmless and who he'd called Gollum behind his back for years.

Jude ignored his laughter. "It pretty much lasted all of two minutes once I got him to shut up." She sighed. "It didn't get much better any subsequent times and it got so awkward between us that we could barely look at each other."

"That's why you broke up? The sex was bad?" He remembered the breakup with Jamie. She'd dyed her hair black the week after it happened, but when they'd talked, she'd seemed almost relieved. Other than a hug to show his support, Tommy had kept out of it and been glad that Jude hadn't dwelt on the whole thing too much. She'd gone back to being a redhead pretty quickly- everything had seemed normal. If he had known then what had happened he would have…

What would he have done?

Probably kicked Gollum Jamie's ass.

"We broke up because the sex was ruining our friendship," Jude's voice broke through the image Tommy had of pummeling Jamie to a pulp for messing with Jude. "It never felt right. There was no…" she searched for the right word. "There wasn't any passion. It was more about being two seventeen year olds who were dating and it was just sort …expected."

Tommy didn't know how to respond but he was almost glad that it hadn't meant much to her. On the other hand, he was angry because Jude's first time should have been special and passionate- she deserved that.

"So did it ever at least…I mean, did he ever…" he made an odd forward motion with his hand.

"You mean did I ever get off?" She supplied the words that Tommy seemed to be stumbling over. His felt his face get warm and wondered what possessed him to go there and ask that.

Jude pinched his cheek. "Aw…maybe we should call you Little Prude Q. Can't you use your big boy words?"

"Har har. Did he make you come?"

Jude sighed again. "Not with Jamie. Shay wasn't that great either." She said the words more to herself and then looked at Tommy as if realizing that she maybe should have kept that to herself. Tommy and Shay had never gotten along, their feud only getting worse after Jude dated the rapper.

"That stupid, selfish, little prick," Tommy growled out.

Jude laughed. "Actually, they don't him the Big Shay for nothing."

"Fuck, Jude. I seriously could have gone my whole life without hearing that."

"You're the one who wants to know all these personal things. I'm just supplying the answers. Deal with it. If it makes you feel any better, despite his size, he didn't exactly have the 'skillz'."

Jude turned onto her side, scrunching the pillow under her head. "Okay…now I get to ask a question…"

Tommy shifted until he was on his side facing her. "I suppose it's only fair."

Jude bit her lip and then lifted her gaze to meet his. "Have you ever been in love?"

His face went blank and he swallowed, eyes getting dark. She didn't realize she was holding her breath until he spoke. "Just once."

"What happened?"

There was another long pause before he spoke again. "Her name was Angie. I met her on tour when I was still married to Portia." A sad smile passed his lips. "I know it was wrong, but I was drawn to her in a way I'd never been drawn to anyone before in my life. Her brother, Hunter, was one of the roadies and she was one of our dancers. We just…clicked. And then…I had to make a choice, my career or her."

He looked sad and caught up in the memories and Jude felt her heart squeeze as she realized that in the eight years she'd known him, she'd never once seen such a serious expression on his face. Automatically, her hand reached for his and she twined their fingers, giving him a reassuring squeeze to continue.

"I picked the career. Mostly because I was scared. Boyz Attack was all I'd known since I was thirteen years old. Angie left the tour and I found out later…much later that she died in a car accident. Drunk driver. I hurt her a lot. But I did love her, in the only way I knew how."

He kept their hands interlocked and his free hand came up and pushed her hair back from her ears. "What about you? Did you love Jamie and Shay?"

Jude understood that he didn't want to talk about Angie anymore. The fact that he'd shared that much with her was something special and so, she let the conversation shift back to her. "I loved them both, but I don't think either one of them broke me. I mean…Jamie will always be one of my best friends. And even though it sucked that Shay cheated on me, I did learn from it, I guess."

"I can't believe you've only been with two guys…"

"I never said there were only two."

"But those are the only two serious boyfriends you've had."

"You don't have to date someone to have sex with them. You of all people should know that."

Tommy wanted to get pissed, but she had him there. He'd done a lot of bragging about just that thing. "Okay, so who else? Anyone I know?"

Jude winced. If she told him, he was going to get mad. Really, really mad.

Her silence and hesitation was damning though, and his expression became demanding.

"Promise you won't get mad," she started.

Tommy's nostrils flared and he let go of her hand and lifted himself on his elbow, glaring down at her. "I'm not promising shit."

"Tommy…"

"No. Just say it."

She sighed and looked away. "Remember when you left to go 'find yourself' in Asia for three months?"  
"Yeah…"

"Well, while you were getting up close and personal with the women there, Darius let me help out with the Season 4 Instant Star contest and I sort of…"

"You slept with Milo?" Tommy exclaimed.

He was furious. He hated that punk. That dumb-ass guitarist had been too self-assured for his own good. The kid had no sense of humor and he'd been terrible in the studio. When Tommy had started producing him, he hadn't wanted Jude in the studio (and Tommy never worked without Jude). "I can't believe you? Why would you do that?"

Jude sat up and glared right back at Tommy. "Why do you even care? You were paying for underage hookers in Thailand. What does it matter?"

"It just does!"

"I never said I was proud of it Tommy. I just said it happened. We were in the studio, working on music and one thing led to another."

"Oh,_____Jesus_. In the studio? You had sex with him in the studio? I haven't even had sex in the studio."

"Now that's a lie and we both know it. I saw you with that little celebuslut that day I came to visit when I was sixteen. So you don't get to be all judge-y with me." Hands crossed defensively over her chest, she sank back into the pillows.

Tommy didn't know what else to say. He should have kept his mouth shut, but for some reason he couldn't decipher, he'd felt the need to know all of this stuff. He just hadn't thought it would be that hard to actually know it. Something that felt suspiciously like jealousy had reared its head as soon as she'd started naming names.

His only consolation seemed to be that, despite the encounters, none of those other guys had ever made her come, but he'd barely touched her against the wall and she'd flown apart in his arms.

Before he could think to stop himself, Tommy leaned forward and pressed his lips against Jude's. The sudden contact cut off the fiery words that were edging from her mouth and for a moment her lips were motionless against his.

His fingers traced along her jaw until his hand settled in her hair, holding her hostage against him until she kissed him back. His tongue touched the seam of her lips and a moan, much like the ones she'd been making eating that cake, left her mouth, the soft sound reaching his ears and spurring him on. But instead of continuing the kiss, Jude pushed him away.

"What are you doing?" She looked confused, her lips just a little pink from the all-too brief kiss.

"It's time for our bet."

"That involves no touching, not your tongue down my throat," she pointed out as she pulled away from him.

"I'd be insulted if I wasn't positive that you enjoy my tongue down your throat. You'd probably like it other places too."

"No tongue," she told him primly. "You're ruining your own bet."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too.

"Take off your clothes."

Jude moved so swiftly that she almost knocked her head against Tommy's. She started to sputter her protest.

"You can argue all you want, Jude, but your false modestly isn't going to get you anywhere- you spent most of last night practically naked on top of me. Besides there's no way the bet will work out if you're all covered up."

He was lying through his teeth, but something inexplicable had taken over him and he wanted her naked.

She glared and pouted, thinking seriously before she finally capitulated with a loud sigh. "I'm keeping my panties on," she declared.

He smiled. "You can keep your shoes on too. In fact…I insist." He was a big fan of her red shoes- he'd had a limo fantasy that involved her and those shoes.

"This won't work if you're being a perv. That doesn't turn me on." Her prim voice had his mouth tilting into a smile.

"Just take them off last then," he baited. "I want the visual of you wearing those and nothing else.

Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him as her face flushed.

She looked shocked and he really wanted to know what else she was thinking and feeling and…

Those thoughts stopped him. Since when had he ever associated sex with any type of feelings other then satisfaction and need?

_Since it was Jude,_ his subconscious chimed in. It didn't matter if it was just a bet, there were still feelings involved because he cared about her more than he'd ever cared about _any_ woman.

He grew serious, his eyes searching hers. "If you don't want to do this, I won't make you," he started. The feelings that existed between them meant that he couldn't push her into something that made her uncomfortable. This was new territory for both of them, a side of each other they'd never explored and he didn't know what it would mean for their friendship, except that he wanted to know _all_ of Jude. Especially this vulnerable part that was letting him in and trusting him was something completely intimate.

"Are you backing out?" she snarked. "Mr. Big Talk is really just talk."

Oh…so she was going to play it that way. Eyes sparking at her taunt, he brought his face even with her, their noses not quite touching. "A bet's a bet, and this one is _on_. So strip."

Tommy watched with bated breath as a look of resignation and pride settled over Jude's normally soft features. He smiled inwardly. Even like this, _especially_ like this- trying to prove to him that he couldn't get to her- she was beautiful. He loved her stubborn jaw, those pouting pink lips, and then there was her nose and those glittering blue eyes that sparked fire more than they glittered. He'd never _not_ been attracted to Jude. Of course he had a new found appreciation for those long, smooth legs of hers- legs she was swinging over the side of the bed.

Her posture was defiant as she faced him and then she reached for the button tab of her khaki shorts.

With a quick flick, the shorts slithered down her legs to her ankles, pooling on the floor. She stepped out and kicked the shorts aside.

Still wearing the heels.

He couldn't help the grin that settled over his features, even as his gut clenched with a wave of lust.

Stance wide, Jude's fingers went to the button of the dress shirt- a shirt that looked suspiciously like one of his, now that he thought about it. He swallowed hard, heat pooling low in his belly. "Need some help?" The husky question made her fingers falter and she glared at him.

"Just sit there and look pretty, Quincy."

Oh, he could do that. Following her instructions, he sat back against the pillows and crossed his feet at his ankles and put his arms behind his head to enjoy the show.

The buttons came undone as quickly as Jude could manage. It probably took less than half a minute, but, with each button, Tommy's heart beat just a little faster, his breath got a little quicker and his pants… He was pretty used to his pants being tight around Jude.

The shirt fell open and the material glided off her shoulders to the floor behind her.

She wasn't wearing a bra. Just the shoes and a pair of panties that barely counted as underwear.

It was absolutely the sexiest thing he'd ever seen.

Jude's eyebrow arched to her hairline. "Did you just growl?" Her mouth quirked up into a half-smile even as her cheeks flushed, the color spreading from her chest and up.

Tommy shrugged, eyes perusing the mostly naked body in front of him. Lust pitched low in his gut, his dick hardening. "I can't help it," he husked. "You're kind of hot."

Jude laughed and the blush deepened. He could see the embarrassment on her face.

"Let's just get this over with," she bit out.

Tommy sat forward, throwing his legs over the side of the bed so that his head was level with Jude's belly button. His hands cupped her hips, thumbs brushing her hip bones and he looked up at her. "Jude…an orgasm isn't something you just 'get over with'. It takes time and it has to build and build until you just explode with…"

The palms of her hands shot forward, connecting with his chest as she pushed him back on the bed. "Fine." Her thighs flanked his and then her knees were pressing into the mattress as she straddled him, bringing her body in full contact with his. Her nose touched his, her lips brushing his mouth as she whispered "Make me explode."

_888888888888888888888888888888_

_And I hate how much I love you girl  
I can't stand how much I need you  
And I hate how much I love you girl  
But I just can't let you go  
But I hate that I love you so_

_One of these days maybe your magic won't affect me  
And your kiss won't make me weak  
But no one in this world knows me the way you know me  
So you'll probably always have a spell on me..._

_8888888888888888888888888888_

(5 minutes later)

"I've heard it happens to all guys," Jude said, her voice pitched to be soothing.

Tommy lay on the sheets with an arm thrown over his eyes. At her words, the arm lifted and he turned his head to glare at her. "Not really helping."

She was propped up on her side, still wearing her panties and the red high heels, as she looked at Tommy. The sight of the amused light in her eyes and the way she bit down on her swollen bottom lip to keep from laughing only deepened Tommy's scowl.

_It happens to all guys… _

It had certainly never happened to him before. He wanted to be mad, but he was actually embarrassed. All that talk about giving Jude an orgasm without touching her and then he'd lost control of himself.

"It's your fault," he growled out.

"My fault?" she questioned with a half laugh. "How is it my fault?"

"It's…it's YOU," he sputtered. "And you look like THAT! And then you did that-that THING with your hips and I…" The words trailed off with a groan.

"That may be the sweetest thing you've ever said to me." Jude's smile was one of pure feminine triumph.

"Why do you look so pleased with yourself?" He bit out. He knew he was being a jerk, but he couldn't seem to help it.

"Because…" Even when he was looking away from her he could still hear the smile in her voice. "…now we're even."

After Jude had undressed, his clothes had made a hasty trip to the floor, leaving him in his boxers. Seconds later he'd had her flipped on her back and in the back of his mind, as his body had covered hers, he'd known that he was going to blow the bet. He couldn't not touch her.

But the touching wasn't what had gotten to him. It was the teasing. He'd be hovering over her nearly nude body, his chest brushing against hers while she whispered that he was cheating and that his breath smelled like coffee.

"You love coffee," he'd countered and then he'd let his hands move and trailed a finger along the curve of her neck and down….down… down over a collar bone and then right over her well formed, perfectly curved breast until…

"No touching." She'd slapped his hand away playfully.

"I can't help it," he'd admitted, the huskiness of his voice betraying just how much she affected him.

Somehow the touching and teasing had become kissing. Not even kissing on the lips, though. He'd been kissing her neck, letting his tongue lick and sooth the small nips he took of the sensitive skin there- that's when he'd realized that he was rubbing himself against her. His boxer covered dick against the warm, lace covered, heart of her and he'd looked down at her face, at the tightly closed eyes and the way she was biting down on his lip, caught up in the sensations and he'd just…lost it.

Like he was fifteen and making out with one of the Boyz Attack backup dancers for the first time. Only this…this was way more embarrassing.

After it happened, he'd rushed off to the bathroom to clean up only to find Jude waiting for him with a surprised look on her face. That surprise had quickly become amusement.

"This goes in the vault," he ground out before grabbing the pillow and covering his face.

Jude's giggles could no longer be contained. The bed shook with her laughter and, beneath the pillow, Tommy grimaced, hating that he was the source of that amusement, even though she did have a point. They _were_ on more even ground now; an orgasm for each of them, both taking place before they'd gotten to the really good stuff.

He moved the pillow and looked over at her again. The giggles subsided and she leaned down until their foreheads were touching. "It's good to know I can make you lose control," she whispered. The vulnerability in her voice was something he'd never heard from her before.

"I think it goes both ways." The tension and embarrassment left his body and he offered up a partial smile.

She nodded and blushed and he couldn't ever remember her looking more attractive to him. The space between them closed and soft, warm lips pressed against his. The kiss, sweet and unhurried, returned eagerly as Tommy threaded his fingers inher hair so that she wouldn't retreat.

When they pulled apart a moment later, he bumped his nose against her, the gesture familiar and affectionate. In those few seconds, she'd managed to make him forget everything. The only person who existed in his world was her and it occurred to him that he really wished that could be true. "I'm glad we can share these embarrassing moments together," he told her.

"Me too." Her smiled lit up her face. "How should we embarrass ourselves tomorrow?"

He shrugged as he shifted and pulled Jude against him until her head rested on his shoulder. "Maybe we should focus on embarrassing others instead."

"That sounds like a fine idea." The words stretched out into a yawn. "I'ma take a nap."

Tommy felt his own eyes getting heavy, the weariness from the day sinking in. He dropped a kiss on her forehead and his last thought before he drifted off was that this wasn't a bad way to go to sleep every night.

_  
8888888888888888888888888_

_But I just can't let you go  
And I hate that I love you so... soo..._

_88888888888888888888888888_


	12. Chapter 10

AN: GAH! It's been forever since my last post. But here is Chapter 10. There is something that goes with this chapter that I haven't figured out how to post yet. So if anyone knows, they should shoot me a message. Basically, there's a whole section missing from this because a good friend helped me by designing the magazine covershoot and article that is referred to in this chapter. I have links, but am not sure how to post them here. So help figuring that out would be great. Otherwise, you can go to Dirty Little Secret Instant Star fanfic community, so you can always look there to see it. If I can't figure it out, then I will post the article (minus the great layout and pics) here on monday. Sorry that it's missing.

Also, I need to give a shout out to gwywhyver and InstantStar_Fan for their help with this chapter. It wouldn't be without them.

Enjoy! Let me know what you think!

* * *

_**Chapter 10 **__– "Temporary Insanity"_

_What just happened? _

_Did you kiss me? _

_Cause that's a place we've never been until now _

_And I don't know how it's gonna be after this _

_Do we pretend these feelings don't exist at all _

_Or do we fall? _

_My confusion shows whenever you get so close _

_I stumble, I stutter, forget what to say _

_I'm nervous, I wonder why I'm acting this way _

_It's temporary insanity _

_What's going on with you and me? _

_Is it real or is it fantasy? _

_Forever or just temporary? _

*********

Big Lou had encountered his fair share of naked women in his tenure as bodyguard for the various bands/artists that Darius Mills managed. He was used to throwing barely dressed women out of hotel rooms. Hell, he'd even rescued a naked Tommy from rioting groupies when he'd been locked out of his hotel room once. So it was no surprise for Big Lou to enter Tommy's room and hear giggling and low murmurs coming from the large lump underneath the garish leopard print comforter on the bed. The only thing he could see was a pair of feminine arms pushed back against a pillow, held in place by masculine hands.

If there had been any obvious thrusting action, he probably would have just turned around and waited ten minutes to come back, but it looked like they were either just finishing or just getting started and Lou knew that a very demanding Darius was insisting on talking to Tommy immediately.

More giggling filled the air, followed be a deep, rumbling laugh. A high-pitched squeal came next and the covers flew off to reveal Tommy's dark hair and naked back. Long limbs flailed beneath him and worked futilely to escape.

"Ack…stop tickling…."

"Not until you give in."

The struggle stopped. "But what if it's just a repeat of last night? That's hardly any fun for me, _Speedracer,_" a familiar voice taunted. Her emphasis on the last word had Big Lou smirking knowingly. He should have realized it was Jude with Tommy. There hadn't been any other girls allowed in the room since the show started. That and Jude's smart mouth was enough to give away her presence.

"That was an anomaly," came Tommy's defensive reply.

"Oooh, bringing out the big words now…trying to compensate for something…" Tommy's hand covered Jude's mouth, muffling whatever she was going to say next, but she quickly bit him and, using that as a distraction, tried to slip out from Tommy's hold.

To say that Lou was surprised was a bit of an understatement. Jude was clearly naked, as was Tommy – evidenced by the ass cheek peeking out from the disheveled covers. Usually, Lou prided himself on his perceptiveness and he knew that Tommy and Jude were close, but he hadn't realized it had gone this far. Normally he wouldn't care who his guardee was hopping into bed with, but he had history with Little Tommy Q and knew his habits. In the past week, he'd gotten know Jude better as well and he didn't want to see a nice girl like her get hurt by Tommy's flaky ways with women.

Lou made a point to clear his throat loudly to interrupt them and quickly turned his back to give them privacy.

A muffled argument ensued, followed by the rustling of sheets. From the corner of his eyes he saw a flash of blonde and leopard print escape into the bathroom. The door slammed shut and Tommy sighed loudly from behind.

"What's up, Big L?"

Lou turned around to face Tommy, who sat on the edge of the mattress holding a pillow over his lap. The concession to modesty almost made him snort. Young Tommy wouldn't have bothered.

"Darius wants to talk to you. He says it's important. You need to call his business cell."

Tommy raked fingers through already rumpled hair. "All right. Thanks."

Lou started to leave, smirking to himself as he heard Tommy grumbling about his ruined morning plans. It served the boy right. It was better that whatever was going on got interrupted. Jude and Tommy were walking a thin line and the teasing had clearly turned into something more. If they weren't careful, they were going to start something they couldn't take back.

*********

"_**What is it with that bitch, Jude? Every time I turn around, she's sneaking off to be with Tommy. I'm sick of it. At first, I was just gonna let it go, but I'm not the only one who's pissed. There are a few of us who are ready to do something about it."**_

**-Parker**

*********

Jude escaped Tommy's room and immediately ran into Parker in the hallway of the girls' sleeping quarters. The other woman scowled and didn't bother to hold back a 'slut' comment.

_It's not worth the effort,_ Jude told herself as she walked around the pug-faced snarler. At this point, the girls had all had plenty of time to interact with Tommy in some way. It was _their_ job to figure out ways to spend time with him. She was just there to cause trouble. If the rest of the women were even half as pissed off as Parker seemed to be then Jude was definitely living up to her side of the deal.

Although, she was pretty sure her deal hadn't included 'almost sex' with Tommy. And it probably didn't include the heavy groping that had been going on earlier before Big Lou's rather timely interruption.

Jude made it to her room and bed without getting assassinated by her evil housemates and collapsed on the covers with a loud groan. She honestly had no clue what she was doing. Every second she spent with Tommy made her stomach flip-flop in a way that was achingly familiar. It was the kind of flip-flop that made her think of rainbows and puppies and her favorite Beatles song and she LOVED that feeling. Being with him was easy and difficult all in the same breath and she wouldn't trade the moments they had shared for anything. Even this new, weird, limbo teasing, lusty thing they were doing was fun. There was a sort of unspoken limit to it, though. The joking and innuendo and even the touching, could build to something more if either one of them were willing to take that risk and push things over the edge.

But she was afraid of how things would change, afraid that he wouldn't want more and that she couldn't settle for less than everything. Of course, it wasn't just that. There was this little thing they were doing- filming a TV show that was supposed to air nationwide and launch Tommy's solo career. Instinctively she knew that sex wouldn't be just sex with them and yet that was all it could be at this point and…GAH! It was making her brain hurt just thinking about it.

"There you are," a voice broke through Jude's chaotic thoughts. She looked up from the bed to see Sephe coming into the room. Her hair was wet and it looked like she was just coming back from her turn in the shower.

"I thought you disappeared," Sephe commented as she put her bathroom stuff away and then sat on the edge of her mattress.

Jude sat up and propped her elbows on her knees, head in her hands. "I need coffee," she grumbled, ignoring her roommates probing statement.

"You should probably change your clothes first." Sephe barely glanced at Jude, still wearing the clothes from her date.

Jude appreciated that Sephe left it at that. The girls didn't say much to each other until they made it down to the kitchen. It was surprisingly empty. The whole house was relatively quiet.

"You know, the house just isn't quite the same without Saskia," Sephe commented as they waited for the coffee to finish brewing.

Her comment earned an appreciative snort from Jude. Making fun of and hating the Russian boobster were the only things that some of the women had in common. A picture of the naked phone sex operator was now posted on the refrigerator with a Hooters magnet, something for all the girls to remember her by.

Sephe laughed hysterically as Jude regaled her with a telling of the events that had led to the big-boobed wonder's shocking departure.

"I wish I could have been there," the other woman commented as she and Jude sipped their morning coffee.

"You really don't. I wanted to throw up."

Sephe's laugh sounded loud in the empty kitchen. "So what happened after I went to bed last night? It must have been kind of wild around here."

The casual question startled Jude and she paused mid-sip.

"Not much, really. I didn't stay up much later than you," she said the words quickly and took a huge drink, trying not to wince as the too hot liquid scalded her tongue.

A single, dark eyebrow arched high on the brunette's smooth forehead. "Jude," she admonished with a teasing tone. "I woke up at three this morning and you weren't in your bed. And you certainly weren't there when I got up to shower."

"Would you believe that the heart-shaped love couch was so comfortable that I just fell asleep?"

Sephe shook her head and smirked. "No. I wouldn't. Let's hear the truth."

Jude bit her lip, slouching on the stool, toes curling around the bottom rung. She didn't make eye contact as she pointed out, "I didn't lie. I did go to bed shortly after you. I just didn't specify where."

"You really _are_ shagging him." Sephe's shock was reflected in her face.

"I'm not," Jude quickly denied. Orgasms didn't really count as shagging, right?

Sephe's 'yeah, right' look made Jude squirm and had her scrambling for a reasonable explanation. "We're not having sex," she told her truthfully. "We just…. cuddle."

"You _cuddle_ with Little Tommy Q? After you spend most of your day avoiding the man, you spend your nights cuddling him? That is unbelievable."

"It's the truth." _Sort of._ Jude wished she could just tell Sephe the real truth. It would make things so much easier and hopefully she'd still have an ally. Her new friend had been nothing but nice to her and it didn't seem right to reward that with a giant lie.

"No one believes or will believe that."

Jude shrugged, pretending indifference. "So? I don't care. If other girls want to get bent out of shape, they can. If anything, they need to try harder to get his attention, especially if I'm able to distract him so easily." Even as she said that, a secret part of her was glad that none of the others had really made Tommy sit up and take notice. He seemed to like most of the girls, but for the most part, he really was just treating this as he'd said he would, like business. But there were still a few women who just might turn his head if they put in a little more effort.

The conversation was interrupted by the appearance of a cameraman, who probably should have been filming the whole time the women were in the kitchen, but had actually fallen asleep on the couch Jude claimed was so comfortable.

He offered up a sheepish look. "I don't suppose you two would start your conversation from the top?"

_******_

_You made a moved and changed your mind _

_Too much to lose, you've crossed the line between friends _

_And something more _

_Was it all a big mistake? _

_And if it was, it's much too late to undo _

_And I don't really want to _

_Let you go but I still don't know _

_How I feel about you_

_What this really means_

_It's crazy to want you _

_Is it meant to be?_

_******_

"Solid Magazine wants you for their August cover. Photo shoot is this afternoon after the women's challenge." Darius sounded almost giddy as he passed the news along.

It shouldn't have been a surprise, considering Darius owned the magazine and had probably insisted, but it still caught Tommy off guard. He hadn't been on the cover of a magazine that wasn't a tabloid since he'd done the interview with Rolling Stone about leaving Boyz Attack to go solo. And even though Solid wasn't Rolling Stone, it was still a popular, reputable, music magazine.

"Sounds great," Tommy told D, a smile creeping onto his face. He held the cell phone to his ear and sat down on the edge of his bed to hear the rest of the details.

"Marcus doesn't know it yet, but I talked with the producers and the photo shoot is going to be the next group date. Whoever wins will be featured alongside you in the article. We'll promote the show and the new album. Its win-win to have your cover issue hit stands the same month the show airs. Genius." In other words…dollar signs all over the place.

Tommy hid a deep sigh as Darius barreled on. The initial excitement over the cover-shoot and interview was fading quickly. Clearly it was more about promotion than substance. Tommy would be surprised if his music even got brought up during the interview. He should have realized Darius' angle right away. "So should I be prepared to answer questions about the album, or is this just publicity for the show?" Tommy interrupted.

"Who says the two are mutually exclusive? This show is going to make your album blow up. We promote the hell out of the show, which will promote the hell out of the album. It's all connected, T. And you're already getting some positive feedback from a few of my industry friends. They like the new sound and I have to agree."

"What?"

"You heard me. I wanted another opinion and so I sent out the tracks you gave me. I'm like a proud papa, T. And those people's feedback on your album certainly justified that pride. Except for 'Lonely No More'. We're cutting that. The producers and I agreed that it doesn't fit the show and I don't think it meshes with the other album tracks that you've finished. We need something else." It was just like Darius to give with one hand and take away with the other. Good news with bad news.

"Uh…sure, I guess I'll get right on that." He was torn between elation, confusion and irritation. He was elated that Darius was so eager to promote the album based on the songs that he'd already finished; he was confused by the way he'd suddenly catapulted from D's shit list to number one priority. And of course he was irritated that he now had to write and produce a new track for the damn show.

"We want to release the new song as your first single off the album," Darius went on. "We can stream it on your official website."

Since when did he have an official website? He knew there were several stalker sites out there dedicated to keeping track of him and any pics that leaked out in the tabloids. Only Jude knew that he sometimes logged onto those sites for an ego boost, but he generally tried to avoid them. A couple of years earlier he'd actually dated one of the site administrators, but that had ended badly and the site had quickly changed from "Tommy Q Fanatics" to "Tommy Q is an ASSHOLE!" Jude had laughed hysterically when she and Speid found it. They had teased him for months about the girl's scathing review on their less than stellar date. Clearly she'd expected unicorns and rainbows but what she'd gotten was a quick dinner at a low-key restaurant and when he'd wanted to talk, she'd just wanted to have sex in the Viper. When he'd explained that the car wasn't really big enough, she'd gotten pissed and had proceeded to tell everyone that he was cheap and impotent. Needless to say, he wasn't exactly a fan of those kinds of websites.

"Marcus is coming in for an update meeting. I've gotta go, but remember…photo-shoot. This afternoon. Do some sit-ups."

"Sit ups?" The question met dead air. Darius had already hung up.

Tommy shut the phone with a smack. His back fell against the messy bed covers and he closed his eyes. Part of him had forgotten how much work it was to be a celebrity. The day had started off well enough, wrestling in bed with Jude (he wasn't even going to think about what that meant) and now he had to write a new theme song, but first he had to judge the girl's next challenge, which could take anywhere from one hour to five depending on how the actual shooting went. Somewhere in there he needed to fit in sit-ups and then he had to worry about a photo-shoot and an interview…

He needed Jude. She could help him with the song. Keep him focused.

Of course there was the fact that she had to be a part of the challenge to consider. It meant that she couldn't help until later and even then, he didn't know if he'd have a good excuse to be alone with her for that. He was kidding himself if he thought that any alone time they had together would be spent working on music. Two weeks ago he could have said that, but not now, especially not after the decidedly more than friendly behavior they'd been participating in. It was hard to tell what Jude would do or say next, especially after the way she'd hightailed it out of his room that morning. She hadn't said anything and he figured they'd probably just go on as they had been, ignoring what was becoming a ginormous elephant in the room with them.

What _was_ going on with them? One minute things would be normal and they'd be Jude and Tommy, best friends and musical partners and the next minute he was imagining fifty different ways to make her moan. And he knew women, knew the signals they gave off well enough to recognize that Jude would not be entirely opposed to him using any one of those fifty different ways on her. Right? Okay…maybe he wasn't completely sure about that. She played along, like with the mostly naked bed wrestling match they'd had that morning, but there was something she was holding back. It was different then when they'd been against the wall. She'd been so hot, touching him and kissing him back and he'd forgotten where they were, just like she had. She'd responded to and enjoyed everything that had happened, but then, as soon as it was done, it was like a wall had gone up around her. She was definitely holding herself back. He might not have even noticed it, except that…well, there was just something different and…

Tommy shook his head. He was being such a girl about this, analyzing his feelings like he was in junior high trying to figure out if Erica Meadows, whose breasts had blossomed over night, would make out with him at her birthday party. He could only blame it on the ocean of estrogen he was living in. He'd been trapped in the house with all of those women for a week and he was sure those pheromones were getting to him.

He cast a glance at the clock. It was almost noon. The women were probably neck deep in their new challenge. He'd probably get called out to judge fairly soon, so he needed to get going on those sit-ups and anything else he could think of to make him cover-shoot ready.

******

Marcus was pretty sure that his excessive sweating had pitted out his suit jacket. That tended to happen when he was nervous. His sweat glands would go into overdrive. Not only was that terrible when it came to his love life, but it also detracted from the whole calm and confident appearance he wanted to project in business situations. Instead, he looked like he'd been left out in the hot sun too long. Red face and sweaty palms, itchy, damp clothes. Yep…confidence personified.

It was not a pretty picture.

Even though he was nervous, he was determined to face the challenge in front of him. He wiped his sweaty palms on his dark jeans, shifting on the balls of his feet. Darius' secretary was suddenly in front of him and he straightened in his chair. "They're ready for you," she gestured over her shoulder. Marcus nodded and swallowed hard, loosening the suddenly tight collar of his t-shirt to alleviate the choking feeling threatening to incapacitate him.

He'd gotten a meeting with Darius and the producers in charge of Rock of Love. They were eager for an update on the progress and wanted to see a few clips from what they'd already taped. The DVD he'd put together to show them was safely tucked into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. As he followed the short-skirted, platinum blonde secretary, he patted the outside of the jacket to make sure the DVD was still there. Another deep breath steadied him somewhat as he walked through the doorway to the conference room.

Darius sat at the head of the conference table and motioned for Marcus to come in and sit. The show's co-producers, David Zarek and Stacy Phelps were on opposite sides of the table and they offered up polite smiles and quick handshakes. Normally, Marcus would have just emailed the updates and clips instead of presenting them in person. David and Stacy weren't micromanagers and were satisfied with brief progress reports. But this was different. He wanted to talk to them about something else.

After greetings were exchanged, the secretary was given the task of setting up the clip presentation. Marcus reluctantly handed over the DVD and turned to face the others.

"Before we see the clips, we have news," David Z. spoke up. Darius smiled and nodded, pleased with whatever was about to be conveyed. "The network wants to push up the show's premier date," David explained. "There have been tons of website hits already and the site isn't even completed. It helps that Tom's demo…" David nodded to Darius. "Well, it's been pretty well received. Darius has gotten excellent feedback and it's a given that the album is going to be huge."

"That's great," Marcus responded. It was definitely great news for Tommy. Hell, it was probably even great for him. The show hadn't even aired and it had the makings of a guaranteed hit just because of curiosity and publicity.

"It's fantastic," Stacy inserted. "It also means that we're cutting down the production time on the show. We need all the footage ready to start editing in three weeks."

"I need my man back in the studio full time, no distractions, so he can finish the album." Darius interrupted.

Marcus didn't know what to say. Three weeks. They wanted taping wrapped in three weeks? That meant rescheduling…everything. The entire shooting schedule would have to be revamped. They'd have to double up some of the challenges and …

He scrubbed a hand over his face.

Okay. So this definitely put a bit of a kink in his plans for Tommy and Jude.

"Bottom line, Marcus, is…can you deliver?" Stacy and the others eyed him critically as they waited for his response.

"I can. I…I definitely ….we can do it. But I," he paused. "I wanted to talk to you about changing up the concept a little. Tommy hasn't really hit it off with any of the girls but his chemistry with Jude is…"

"Stop right there," Darius held up a hand. "Jude's role in the show is very clear cut. She's not there as a romantic interest."

"Try telling that to Tom," Marcus grumbled.

"What was that?" Darius barked.

"Nothing…just…maybe you guys should just watch the clips so you can see what I mean. Then, just give me two minutes to pitch the new concept," he rushed on before they could protest. "We're already here, it won't hurt anything to listen and if you don't like it…"

All he got was a curt nod in response. Darius jerked his head at the secretary and she quickly started the clips.

Scenes from the runway show flashed on screen followed by several of the interviews with the women of the house. Then came Tommy's interview about Jude. The look on his face when he talked about her was obvious and the kiss in the recording booth that followed drove the point home.

Darius didn't look happy but no one said anything as Marcus' two minutes started.

"You can see that there's been a lot of drama from just the first week and that's probably not even the best of the footage we've got. I can assure you that there have been several catfights, lots of drunken escapades and plenty of scheming for Tommy's affection. But while that's been going on, I really do think there's a real love story to be seen."

Darius looked incredulous. "You mean he's really falling in love?"

Marcus nodded. "Yeah. With Jude."

"What?" Darius shook his head. "No. She's there to fill a spot and stir up trouble. Not to distract him with romantic nonsense."

"But you can see their chemistry on screen. The way he talks about her…just being in the same room as them you can sense that there's something there. He's in love. And I think she is too. The real story there is that neither of them will admit it, that's if they even realize. So I want to change focus. Everything would proceed as plan but we'd highlight Tommy and Jude's interaction."

"It's not gonna happen," Darius voiced without hesitation. "The show is promotion. He's not really supposed to fall in love. He just needs to pretend and he seems to be doing fine without your interference."

"But…"

David was looking back and forth from Darius to Marcus and finally shook his head. "I'm sorry Marcus. I see what you're getting at with the clips and I think people would definitely respond to it, but with the modified shooting schedule we should just stick to our original plan. Then, if things go the way we're hoping, when we do Season 2 of the show, we can have him really fall in love then."

Darius was agreeing. He clearly liked the concept of a second season of ROL, which would only mean more publicity and more album sales.

The other three left the conference room while Marcus sat there, staring at the image on the screen of Tommy and Jude paused in a kiss. He knew that reality TV was as far from reality as a person could get but he couldn't believe these people actually thought they could control someone's life like that. It made him feel sorry for Tommy. And Jude too. Because when it was all said and done, she was the one who would wind up hurt. But he also knew that despite what those three bigwigs wanted, if Tommy and Jude realized just how they really felt about each other, nothing would be able to interfere. When that happened, Marcus and his crew would be there to document it all.

**********

"_**To be quite honest, I've never been a big fan of the whole boyband thing. I've never liked anything that I've thought of as anything less than genuine and boy bands do not exactly exude sincerity. But, bloody hell; this new material of Tommy's is fucking fantastic. I'm not even sure I can pick a favorite. It sounds so real, like he's singing about exactly how he's feeling in the moment. Plus, they all weave wonderful stories, which, as an author, I can definitely appreciate. I certainly don't think there's anything stopping this man from making a bigger splash this time than the last time around. And I'm not just saying that because I want to be kept around. Because, quite honestly, I think Tommy's already found his match. Whether he knows it or not."**_

**- Katie**

**********

Sephe, Jude, Katie and Tori Lynn sat in a crowded circle in the center of Jude and Sephe's room. A laptop sat in the middle, holding court as they all focused on the music that drifted from the small computer speakers. The volume was set on high and Tommy's raspy voice filled the air.

Both Sephe and Katie were all smiles, clearly enjoying what they were listening to. Jude bit back a smile, pleased to see that they liked the music. Tori Lynn though, she looked…confused.

"What's wrong?" Jude asked, unable to interpret the cause of Tori Lynn's confusion.

The girl in question let out a loud sigh. "It's just so…so different than I thought it would be. I mean, I get that it's been ten years, but this doesn't sound anything like Boyz Attack. It's…"

"Fucking Awesome!" Sephe jumped in with a grin. "I loved Boyz Attack as much as any other pimply pubescent, but this totally fits Tommy and his bad boy image. It's edgy and sexy and…_him_."

Her roommate's assessment made Jude smile. Tommy's demo was definitely all those things. He had shed the boy band image (emphasis on the boy) and sound, evolving into something with a more broad appeal. It fit the man he'd become way more than the bubble gum pop he'd been forced to sing in his teenage years. He wasn't Little Tommy Q anymore. He was Tom Quincy and the music was going to send that message.

Katie agreed. "It's definitely a bit more Rock than I would have expected, but not an unpleasant surprise."

"I don't know," Tory Lynn jumped back in. "I sort of liked the Boyz Attack sound better."

Jude wanted to throttle the blonde. Clearly she wasn't hearing the same things as the rest of them. Maybe she needed her ears cleaned out. She knew she probably needed to keep her mouth shut, but it was hard not to speak up and defend Tommy's music, _their_ music. She just couldn't believe that Tori Lynn actually preferred that other crap. It was just…

"Jude, you seem to know everything about Tommy, what do you think?" Sephe's words would have sounded bitchy if they'd come from anyone else, but to Jude they just came across amuses, like the other girl knew something.

Chin up, Jude looked her in the eyes, somewhat defiantly. "I think that it's fantastic. He was always way better than Boyz Attack allowed him to be and now the world is going to know that." She clamped her lips together to keep from saying anything else.

"Do you think 'Runaway' is about that girl he's always with?" Sephe asked, eyes locking with Jude's, almost taunting her.

"Could be." Vague. Her responses needed to stay vague. Plus, they probably needed to work on their actual challenge, which was to create an album cover for Tommy's new album, not gossip about the meaning behind the songs.

Even if they wanted to talk about them, she really only knew about a couple of the songs. They'd written "It's Not My Time" together and she'd also help him with "It's The Only One You've Got," which had turned out amazing. That song was pretty personal for Tommy, especially because it had been about letting go of his past and moving forward. It was the song that he'd given Darius that had finally convinced the music mogul to give him another change. It was special.

"Crashed" was more of a mystery to Jude, a song that Tommy hadn't really explained to her. She liked it, just like the others, although she was glad she wasn't listening to this latest version with Tommy because it made her think about sex and things like humping against a wall or wrestling in bed because you just can't help yourself.

And then there was "Used To". She hadn't even heard that one before. Part of her was upset because it was just one more thing that was different now because of the stupid show. She'd been so focused on what she'd missed by not helping with the song that she'd barely focused on the lyrics but now... "Could you play 'Used To' again?"

As she listened to it again, she recognized some of the lyrics and realized it was the song that he'd been working on their last day together before the show. He'd been so upset with her that he'd completely shut her out of the process and she'd never understood. Now, as she listened to the words, tears threatened to escape. Everything he was singing was exactly how she felt. Things had changed so quickly between them and neither of them had any control over what was happening and around them. Tommy had been more perceptive than she'd given him credit for. He recognized the difference and put it to words in a way that she hadn't been able to. Those last few days with him made sense now; some of his behavior had been so desperate and she'd mistaken it for selfishness. In a way it was, because he wanted their friendship to be what it had always been. He didn't know that it was too late for that.

The song finished and Jude could only offer Sephe a pleading look. With a nod, the dark haired stylist took over, stepping in to lead their group and finish the challenge. With some vague but insistent guidance from Jude, they were able to come up with something, despite Tori Lynn's objections, that was representative of Tom Quincy, something that reflected his new music instead of his past.

They finished and dispersed to wait for the official challenge taping. Someone from the production crew would get their mock album cover printed and then all three groups would present their ideas to Tommy. Until then, Jude needed some time on her own. That song had made her realize that while she was trying to protect herself, she had hurt Tommy, the one person that she never wanted to hurt. Somehow she had to fix that and the only thing that might do that was a song. It was the one thing she'd kept from him and giving it to him now might…well, she wasn't sure what it would do, but maybe it wouldn't feel like such a secret anymore.

**********

"_**I really believe that everyone just wants someone to love. That's why we're all here. And once you love someone, you can't just turn it off. Even if you're unsure, those feelings still exist. But I also don't think you can truly love someone without really knowing them. So do I love Tommy? Probably not yet. But I think I know someone who does."**_

**-Corey**

**********

Corey found Jude outside by the pool, guitar in her lap. She held back, leaning against the doorframe and listened to the soft sounds of singing. Everyone else was inside, most of them getting ready for the challenge taping, but she had needed some fresh air after dealing with the idiots in her group. It was her fault for being so soft spoken, but her group was going to lose. Their album cover had been so dumb. Karma, Parker and Dominique had wanted to put themselves on the cover with Tommy. Luckily there hadn't been time to take photos for that, so they'd settled on random shots of other bikini-clad girls alongside a shot of Tommy in his swim trunks. He looked good in swim trunks but the cover…well, there could only be one challenge winner and it definitely wasn't going to be her group.

She hadn't expected to find Jude off alone. And she really hadn't expected to stumble upon this private song session. Corey couldn't resist moving closer and did so cautiously, not wanting to interrupt Jude's singing.

_If we don't talk That's okay _

_Cause I hear everything That you say _

_You got my heart to mend to you _

_A hole that hurts inside _

_It shows And you can't hide _

_But if we open up _

_We'll break through_

She hadn't realized how talented Jude was. She had an amazing voice and the song…it was incredible. So beautiful and personal.

_You and I go deeper _

_Down below where no one sees it _

_When you close your eyes _

_And just believe it _

_You and I go deeper _

_Where everything's unspoken _

_And the world seems so wide open _

_To me now_

Jude paused to write something down as she continued to hum softly. Then her fingers lifted to the strings again and the humming became words. Corey was almost mesmerized by the play of emotions on the normally stoic girl's face. Jude had been so reticent when it came to giving information about herself it was hard to get to know her. All Corey knew was that there was this unspoken attraction between Jude and Tommy, something that none of the other girls understood or knew how to deal with. They didn't even have to talk for that connection to be visible.

_You got broken once before _

_Closed your heart up _

_And said no more _

_We were trying not to fall _

_Afraid of letting go _

_Wait until we know now_

The strumming stopped and Jude's voice cut off as her head lifted and she spotted Corey standing a few feet away from her spot on the lawn chair. A hand nervously pushed her hair back behind her ear and she looked…well, she looked ready to cry.

"Don't stop on my account. The song is great," Corey stepped forward and went to sit down on the chair next to Jude's. She could see the other woman's hesitation but didn't offer to leave.

For a second Jude stared down at her hands as they rested on the guitar strings. Finally she looked up, squinting. "It sounded ok?"

Corey nodded. "What I heard was beautiful. Who's it for?" She asked the question, even though she thought she already knew the answer. But Jude's hesitant words surprised her.

"My best friend." She spoke softly, biting her lip. "We had a fight before I came here and I did something…I didn't realize that I would…hurt…" Jude swallowed. "The song is kind of an apology, but...." she searched for words to explain. "…more. He means more to me than I can say sometimes and I feel like I need to explain that. That I need to stop holding things back from him."

Corey knew that Jude didn't need someone to try to make it better; she was dealing with whatever had happened on her own, through the song. "I'd like to hear more if that's okay?"

Jude nodded and took a deep breath and picked up where she left off.

_If we fight off what we feel _

_And you love me like I know you will _

_You and I go deeper _

_Down below where no one sees it _

_When you close your eyes _

_And just believe it _

_You and I go deeper _

_Where everything's unspoken _

_And the world seems so wide open _

_To me _

The last chords of the song played and Jude looked up at Corey. She had been surprised to see the other woman watching her, but it didn't bother her as much as she thought to have someone else hear her music. She needed another opinion, needed some reassurance that Tommy would think it was okay, that he would understand what she was trying to tell him.

So what _was_ she trying to tell him?

"It's great, Jude. Really." Corey offered an encouraging smile. "Your friend is going to love it. He'd be an idiot not to understand."

She hoped so. She hoped that he knew that no matter what, whatever it was that seemed like obstacles between them, she'd always thought there was something deeper that connected them. That's what she was trying to say. And maybe she was trying to tell him that there was more to them then what they'd always had, that maybe it was more then what "Used To" be.

Corey was about to say something else, when Big Lou, followed by a cameraman, appeared behind her.

"Jude…" the big guy started, offering Corey a quick nod. "Uh…I need you to come with me."

Jude definitely didn't like the sound of that. It wasn't a request. It was a command and that command had probably come from Tommy. She wasn't sure if she wanted to talk to him now. But the last thing she needed to do was avoid him, especially when part of their problem before was that she was keeping things from him. And maybe…maybe she could just sort of casually bring the whole singing/song writing thing up. Just pop it into the conversation and make it sort of unimportant. But it was Tommy and he'd know that it was, that she wouldn't have just kept part of herself away from him for no reason. That didn't matter though. As personal as her songs were, he was her best friend. They'd shared everything and he had a right to know everything about her, the way she knew everything about him. She would tell him. It would be fine.

"What is it?" She stood up, guitar still in her hands and stepped towards Lou. Corey stood next to her and eyed Jude curiously.

"Tom needs to talk to you about something."

Big Lou didn't bust out any more details then that and Jude found herself propelled through the house towards Tommy's suite. Her trek was quick and she didn't notice the trail of curious females that followed in the wake of Big Lou and the camera crew.

The second she reached Tommy's door, she was pulled inside. The door didn't even latch behind her before a frantic Tommy pulled her along, across the bedroom toward the bathroom.

**********

"_**Jude wins everything, it's totally non…fair. I mean, she gets to be the meat in a Tommy-wall-sandwich! That would be awesome to just get that, but she's so greedy and wants him ALL the time. I feel sorry for Tommy, if Jude wasn't always forcing her slutty self on him he'd get to see the real prize in front of him. I'm not going to wait for him forever!"**_

**-Tori Lynn**

**********

Seeing Big Lou steer Jude towards Tommy's suite was enough to pique any of the girls' curiosity, but only a couple of them actually followed. Tori Lynn, Scarlet and Dominique all made their way to see what was going on, held back only by thoughts of Big Lou. But when they got to the door he wasn't there and the door itself was open.

"It wouldn't hurt anything to take a little peak, right?" Scarlet shrugged and Dominique moved her ass like a weapon so that she could look first after she'd pushed the other two women away.

"I can hear muffled voices," she told them.

"What are they saying?" Tori Lynn whispered. She was beyond curious about what was going on. It had been clear during the challenge that Jude was a Tommy Q fanatic, even if she did try to pretend that she didn't care. And she'd been such a stuck up bitch about his music, acting like there was something wrong if someone didn't like it. Tori hated it and she was really starting to hate Jude and all of the time she spent with Tommy. And things were even worse now, because Anna had announced, as per Marcus, that they were going to try to finish up the show in three weeks. So that meant that the eliminations would happen faster and that everyone needed to step up their game. Normally she wasn't a game player, but she didn't like it when girls like Jude, who thought they were so much smarter and cooler, but knew nothing about the important things (like shoes), got in the way of something she wanted.

And Tori Lynn wanted Tommy.

"I can't hear what they're saying. Maybe we should move closer," Dominique suggested. Scarlet pushed Dominique through the door and Tori Lynn followed them inside. The bedroom area was a little messy, the bed unmade and clothes thrown onto the floor.

Tori gasped a little when she saw that Tommy's shoes had just been thrown haphazardly next to the bed. She'd have to explain to him later that shoes needed to be put away properly in order to ensure that they lasted as long as possible.

"The bathroom," Scarlet whispered, tilting her head in that direction. They all made their way to the door and Scarlet pushed her ear against the wood. "I don't hear anything," she said after a second. Dominique quickly pushed her out of the way and put her own ear against the grain. A few more seconds passed and then the muffled voices started up again, only they were coming from the opposite side of the room. Tori looked back at the door and stuck her nose in the crack between the frame and the door. Sniffing gingerly, she pulled back. "That's the closet. I can smell Italian leather loafers in there. I think it's the pair Tommy was wearing the other night," she whispered confidently. For a second the other two girls stared at her, but then Scarlet just shrugged and moved to get closer to the other door.

With each step, the voices on the other side of the door grew louder, but still slightly muffled.

"_Tommy, will you just stop for a minute and let me see it?" _

It was Jude's voice. She sounded frustrated, sort of like Tori when she was shopping and they didn't have her shoe size.

"_Put your hands down , stop touching it…." _Jude was still talking. _"Oh, Tommy…it's not at huge as you made it out to be. Stop being such a baby and pull it out already…"_

Dominique's eyes got big at those words. None of them spoke. Tori wondered just what they were doing in the bathroom. It sounded…odd.

A deeper voice, equally as frustrated, came through the door. _"I can't….it's not long enough…my fingers are slippery."_

Scarlet clapped a hand over her mouth.

"_Well, maybe if you would have stopped when I told you to, you wouldn't have had this problem." _Tori could almost see Jude rolling her eyes.

"_Not helping,"_ Tommy snarked.

"_Maybe if you just…yeah, right there. Ok. Now…easy…. easy…pull it out…just give it a nice yank."_

Okay…this was starting to sound dirty. Tori didn't like that. What if they were doing…it?

"_Dammit, Quincy…I said Hands OFF! Now you've got me all sticky too. Eh…you've got it on my shirt. It better come out."_ Jude grumbled and Dominique and Scarlet stood there fighting hysterical giggles.

The three eavesdroppers all stood there, looking at each other. None of them were sure what to do. It sounded like something kinky was going on between Tommy and Jude. It was like Tommy had summoned her for just that reason and she'd been more than willing to just do whatever he wanted. Jude was such a little slut.

"_Look…clearly this isn't working. I'm gonna go get reinforcements. Just stay here. And maybe…clean yourself up a little. You're kind of a mess." _

Three sets of eyes went wide as they realized that Jude was leaving the bathroom. They all darted for the door, trying to escape before she discovered them standing there. Once outside the room they practically ran down the hallway to reach the main living room. Other girls were there and looked at them curiously.

"You'll never believe what we just…" Scarlet started in. Tori Lynn didn't bother listening. She'd heard it all first hand and it just made her realize that she needed to do something to get Tommy's mind off Jude and onto her and she needed to do it fast.

_******_

_Oh, what you do to me? _

_What comes over me, oh? _

_If this is crazy there's nothing I'd rather be_

_******_

"I need you to come with me. And…don't ask any questions," Jude rushed out as she grabbed hold of Sephe's arm. Sephe unfolded herself awkwardly from the bed, dropping the magazine she had in hand as Jude jerked her into a standing position.

Two minutes later they were standing in the middle of Tommy's bedroom. Jude faced Sephe and bit her lip nervously. "Look, I have to tell you something and well, it may make you mad at me, but I will understand. But first, before I tell you, I need you to promise to do me a favor."

"Jude? Is that you?" Tommy's voice came from the bathroom and Sephe felt her eyebrows lift toward her hairline.

"Give me a minute, Quincy. I'm trying to work this out!" Jude yelled toward the door.

"Uh…I don't know what's going on here but…"

Jude shook her head. "It's nothing bad, it's just that, well, I'm Tommy's best friend," she blurted out. "I came on the show to help him, so I'm not really competing with the other girls, even though they think I am."

"Aha! I knew it! I knew that was you." Sephe had suspected something of the sort for a while. It was too much of a coincidence that Tommy and Jude would be so connected and that some of the girls kind of recognized her and…

Jude snapped her fingers in front of Sephe's face. "Focus, Seph. I need your help. Tommy's got a little bit of a crisis. There's a photo shoot this afternoon and well…" She paused and took a deep breath. There was amusement on her face and now, instead of biting her lip nervously, she was biting it to hold back a smile. "He found a grey hair," she finally said.

"Say what?"

"He found a grey hair. And…we can't pull it. Or we could have, but he has all of that gel in his hair, so it wasn't exactly working. I don't think it's a bit deal, but he's kind of upset about it and well, you're the only person I trust to help," Jude finished and looked at Sephe expectantly.

Sephe knew her eyes must have been bulging out of her sockets from shock. "So, let me recap this. _You _are Tommy's best friend. Here to 'help' him make his decision."

"I did say that I was the assistant of a washed-up celebrity," Jude reminded her.

"Jude! I can hear you!" Tommy's muffled yell made Sephe chuckle.

"Ok. So you're his assistant and now…"

"Now we need you to assistant us, in either removing or concealing the grey hair that is about to give my misguided best friend a heart attack. He's really too young to die, so can you help us?" Jude was already inching toward the door that led to Tommy and Sephe found herself following even as she shook her head. This whole experience had just gotten ten times weirder.

Jude knocked and then turned the doorknob to let them into the bathroom. Tommy was leaning over a sink, his head close to the mirror as he studied his hair, fingering different sections.

"I found more. There's more than just one, Jude!" He sounded slightly panicked and Sephe was certain she'd never seen a guy get so upset over something like this before.

"Babe, calm down." Jude's voice was soothing even though it was clear that she wasn't nearly as concerned as Tommy was. "Sephe's the best hair dresser ever and she can fix this."

Tommy's anxious eyes met Sephe's. "I'm really sorry to do this, but," he pointed to his hair. "This is an emergency. I'm doing a cover shoot in less than three hours and if the stylist there realizes that I'm going grey, it's going to end up in Talk National."

Jude pinched his arm. "Stop being so melodramatic. People really don't care about your grey hair, Tommy."

"I care, Jude! I didn't have grey hair before this whole damn show started and now look…I counted at least four and there's no time to dye it and…"

"We'll use mascara," Sephe interrupted.

"Huh?" Two voices questioned, simultaneously inarticulate.

"We'll use black mascara. It's just in a couple of spots and it will be a quick fix until we can dye it for you. It would be better to dye it than to pull them."

"See," Jude smiled and rubbed Tommy's back reassuringly. "I told you she'd know what to do. Uhm…also, I told her why I'm really here."

Tommy just shrugged and wrapped his arm around Jude. "It's fine… as long as Sephe's cool with it." He looked at Sephe carefully; some of his earlier panic receding from his features. "You've been pulled into this sort of like Jude was, against your will." She realized then how protective he looked with Jude. He seemed more relaxed but Sephe could see in his gaze that he was trying to figure out how their little confession would affect Sephe's view of them, of Jude in particular.

All her thoughts on Tommy were confirmed in that moment. Even though Jude claimed that they were friends and that she was his 'assistant', there was more to it. All of the chemistry between them wasn't fake and it wasn't just two friends getting along. It was more, so much more. All she could do now was sit back and let things unfold. Everything was weird but also way more interesting. "Look, I'm fine with whatever…just do me favor and keep me around for a bit. Jude and I are just getting to know each other and I think we can keep each other sane."

Just like that, the couple in front of her completely relaxed. Jude smiled and Tommy squeezed her shoulder and nodded at Sephe. Tommy's smile lasted for a brief moment and then his lips melted into a thin line. "Okay, now that that's all good, let's get to work on my hair."

******

TBC...

Disclaimer: songs and Solid magazine belong to instant star. VH1 is it's own entity.


	13. Chapter 11

AN: Well, here it is. I've had several people check it for mistakes, but I wasn't the best about getting those transposed into MSWord. So hopefully I got everything. If not…oh well.

I have several new and exciting things to give you, along with this chapter.

First, cassy09 has done another fantastic video for this story. This one is the music video for Gotta Be Somebody. Yay! Check it out here. She did a really great job! (these aren't the actual links. you have to go to the webaddress for the hosting site first and then fill in the part that is listed out here.)

/people/CvPP0u/video/d6ZMM4c3/cassy09_gotta_be_somebody_tom_quincy_music_video

the above can be found on imeem

or on youtube

just fill in the info above once you get to the website. if that doesn't work, check out the note below and things will posted other places...

/watch?v=BCsJYw1iYHY  
(note, the you tube version has some of the other video at the front end to keep it from being pulled for copyright reasons).

Other exciting news includes interactive myspace pages for Jude, Tommy and SME! Deppsxmyxhusband got these going for me, so definitely check them out and add the ROL gang as friends. I'd love to hear comments on the story and the extras that the sites will feature. I'm planning on a blog for Jude as well as an SME video. There are links to the Article from the last chapter (which I couldn't post here because of the pics that went with it), as well as to the promos and other videos. All of the music featured in the story, plus some extras will be on the pages as well, in case you want your own soundtrack. It's pretty cool and you never know when you might catch a spoiler or some deleted scenes. So stay tuned!

Here's Jude's URL: /juderol  
SME's URL: /speidermanmindexplosionrl  
Tommy's URL: /tomquincyrol

Thanks everyone for sticking with this story. I really appreciate it. Shout outs go to the two ladies listed above as well as to Saskia and InstantStar_Fan, Hopelessromantic and gwynwhyver. They might not remember it, but they all contributed to parts of this chapter in some way, shape or form. So thanks.

Carey

**Chapter 11- "Mercy"**

_I love you  
But I gotta stay true  
My morals got me on my knees  
I'm begging please stop playing games_

_I don't know what this is  
But you've got me good  
Like you knew you would_

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"Whoever invented hockey was an 'effing moron," Jude grumbled as she tried to shuffle her bruised limbs through the smelly locker room of the hockey arena. It was a sad day when she didn't even have enough strength to say the word fuck in a sentence. The other girls chattered like a bunch of monkeys on helium while she collapsed onto an uncomfortable blue metal bench, disregarding the hockey gear still covering her body and stilting her movements.

Thank god for helmets and kneepads. If it weren't for the protective equipment she was pretty sure she'd have a broken brain or some other equally important bone. As it was, she'd taken an awful hit to the side courtesy of that bitch Mackenzie. She'd landed hard on the ice, could feel the bruise on her hip and knew it would look worse than it felt, which was saying a lot.

"Are you alive?" Sephe's tired voice cut through the noisy musings around them and Jude felt the bench vibrate as her friend sank down next to her.

She opened her eyes and slowly turned her head to look at the only Rock of Love girl that didn't seem to want her dead or dismembered. If her whole face weren't hurting she would have smirked at the other girl's apparent misery. "I'm glad to see I wasn't the only one who got beat up." It was the first time Jude had witnessed Sephe feeling anything less than comfortable.

A hockey game, in honor of Tommy's favorite sport, had seemed like a fantastic idea until they realized they would be playing each other. Considering that walking was often a tricky endeavor, Jude had known that skating would be impossible.

And it had been. She'd barely been able to stay up on the skates. Once the game actually started it had only gotten worse. Some of the other girls hadn't wanted Jude on their team and after being picked last, (an excruciating reminder of every gym class she'd been forced to endure in high school), and even after the sides had been chosen, her teammates had been gunning for her out on the ice.

Stupid Skanks.

Of course, Jude's team had lost the game 1-0, which only earned her more enemies in the house because apparently, even though they spent more time knocking her off balance then trying to make a goal, they had still expected her to win it for them. "Those girls can have their dumbass group date. I just want my bed and twenty bags of ice," she told Sephe.

A half hour later, Jude's sore body was asleep in the limo bus, despite the catty girls around her, who'd been on her team and were probably plotting against her.

Tommy was trapped in the other limo, surrounded by the girls from the winning team. They were laughing and joking and he even remembered most of their names, but he was worried about Jude. It had been clear, when he was watching the girls play, that they'd all had it out for Jude, despite the fact that she could barely stay up on her skates on her own steam. He'd never seen her quite so pale before and what he really wanted to do was go check on her. Instead, he was stuck escorting the ladies on their group date.

"I'm sure she's fine," A low voice whispered next to him. Tommy's head turned and encountered Sephe's amused, sympathetic gaze.

Even though it was impossible to have a conversation without the other girls chirping in, he turned his attention to Sephe. "She looked pretty banged up. Do you think I should have Big Lou check on her?"

Sephe shrugged, her dark hair fanning out over her shoulders as she looked away and spoke out of the side of her mouth to keep the other girls from noticing the hushed conversation.

"If it makes you feel better, I'll call the house when we get to the restaurant and check in with her."

Tommy relaxed a little. Having Sephe check on Jude was the next best thing to doing it himself. He knew the other woman had quickly made her way into Jude's small circle of friends. It wasn't something Jude allowed to happen unless she really liked and trusted that person.

"God…she's such a big baby," a high pitched voice filtered over the other chatter in the limo and Tommy stiffened again. "I'm sure she's crying because she didn't get to monopolize this date like she does everything else."

The rest of the conversations had quieted as Dominique continued talking to a visibly uncomfortable Corey.

Corey said something too softly for Tommy to hear and Dominique made a snarling ugly face that clearly stated she didn't agree. "Whatever. Stop being so nice, Corey. We all know Jude's a skank."

The sweet-natured blonde bit her lip and looked away, toward Tommy, her eyes pleading for him to say something. He could feel Sephe getting fired up next to him, ready to verbally flay the outspoken Brooklyn Bitch and defend Jude.

"Is there a problem?" Tommy found the words, his voice edged with anger as he met Dominique's gaze. She immediately recoiled as she realized that everyone was looking at her, but then her whole body straightened and she met his look head on.

"Yeah, actually, there is. I think we're all a little curious about what's happening with you and Jude. Every time we turn around she's fawning all over you and the rest of us have barely had any time with you." Her large chin tilted up and Tommy eyed her critically, wondering how he'd ever thought her attractive in the first place. The girl was one hundred percent bitch.

"Is that right? Do the rest of you agree?" he asked the silent limo, glancing around at the others, trying to gauge their expressions. It was clear that Corey and Sephe didn't feel that way, but Mackenzie started to raise her hand before Karma yanked it down and while Scarlet and Tori Lynn kept quiet, it was clear they felt the same way.

Tommy's first instinct was to throw Dominique out of the limo. He didn't give a shit if he left her stranded on the side of the road, he just didn't want to have to deal with her. This was the first time he'd really gotten a glimpse of just how mean and catty the girls were. And even if Jude weren't his best friend, she didn't deserve to be treated the way she had that day. "Let me just say this," he told them, trying to stay calm. "Jude is one of the only women in the house that makes an effort to actually talk to me. She doesn't spend all her time preening for the cameras," He thought he heard Mackenzie muter 'that's for sure' but ignored her for the moment. "And she seems more interested in me than in what this show can do for her 'career'. I can't say I've gotten that impression from most of the rest of you."

No one said a word and Tommy wanted to have the limo driver pull over and leave him off instead. The last thing he wanted to do was spend two hours on a date making small talk with women who didn't like his best friend. Something in him rebelled at the idea and he didn't think he could stomach it.

Once they silent and uncomfortable group made it to the restaurant, Tommy made a point to ignore most of the women and sat talked with Corey and Sephe for the whole dinner. He knew that Sephe understood and even though Corey was in the dark about the real situation with Jude, she seemed to understand and that meant a lot to him. She didn't try to pry, she was just accepting and he found himself genuinely enjoying the time he got to spend with her and Sephe while he blatantly snubbed Karma, Tori Lynn and Scarlett whenever they tried to jump into the conversation. Dominique and Mackenzie sat at the far end of the table, not talking to anyone.

By the end of the evening, Tommy was convinced that Jude was right about Corey all along. All through the date she'd surprised him; coming out of her shell more and more. While Sephe had a sarcastic wit that could rival Jude's, Corey's was a bit subtler, her barbs well placed and well timed and all the more shocking because they were coming from someone who looked so completely innocent and pure. He liked her. She was attractive and smart and nice; not a combination that usually came in the same package with the women he met. The rest of the Rock of Love ladies were proof of that. As a bonus, he was pretty sure that Corey liked Jude and vice versa, which would make that final choice easier for everyone involved.

888888888888888

_**"Jude wins everything, it's totally non…fair. I mean, she gets to be the meat in a Tommy-wall-sandwich! That would be awesome to just get that, but she's so greedy and wants him ALL the time. I feel sorry for Tommy, if Jude wasn't always forcing her slutty self on him he'd get to see the real prize in front of him. I'm not going to wait for him forever!"**_

**-Tori Lynn**

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"It's like we're getting picked off, left and right," Tori Lynn whined as she fidgeted nervously near the edge of the pool. It was the morning after the hockey game and the disaster dinner date. The rest of the women were still hiding in the house, but Tori Lynn had sought solace alongside Karma and Parker as they soaked in the comforting rays of the sun. While they lounged in the sun chairs, she clutched a sling-back pump in her hands, holding it like a baby and stroking the leather in a weak attempt to calm her anxiety.

Karma eyed the dewey, dim-witted blonde with disdain. Sunglasses in place as she lounged, no one could see her roll her eyes. The girl was dumber than a box of a rocks --unless you asked her about shoes. And even though Karma loved fabulous footwear as much as the next girl, she did not see how everything in life could possibly relate back to shoes, but somehow to Tori Lynn it did.

"It's like this one time when I was at Saks and they were having a sale to make room for the new fall shoe line and there was this fabulous pair of Ferragamo's that I'd been eying for months and…."

"Shut up! We don't want to hear about a fucking shoe sale," Parker growled, openly disdainful.

"However hard it is to imagine, she is kind of right," Karma mused. She was way more relaxed than the other two and found the situation highly entertaining. As far as she was concerned, Tommy could do whatever he wanted with Jude and any other girl in the house, as long as she got the camera time she'd bargained for.

"I'm right? About what? The shoes?" Tori Lynn's confusion matched the expression on her face.

"No. About getting picked off," Karma explained. She leaned forward, a sudden conspiratorial glint in her overly made up eyes. She took off her sunglasses and looked at both girls. They were providing her with the perfect opportunity to get some more face time with the cameras. Pretending that cameraman Joe was invisible, she smiled as Parker looked intrigued and Tori Lynn tried to remember how it related to her shoe story.

"Think about it, ladies. Who did Tommy send home last night?"

"Mackenzie and Dominique," Tori Lynn supplied. "I was so bummed. Mackenzie was going to let me borrow her Ed Hardy boots."

"Not the point," Karma interrupted. "He sent home the two women who spoke up publicly against Jude." She sat back and watched as that information soaked in. Any idiot would have been able to figure that out on their own and she was surprised that it hadn't already occurred to either of them. As she waited for the fireworks to start, she was surprised when it was Tori Lynn, not Parker, whose fury sparked first.

"I HATE JUDE!" The normally friendly girl spit out the words with a vengeance, fingernails inadvertently digging into the leather she'd stroked so lovingly moments before. "What does he see in her?" she asked, bewildered.

Of course, Karma knew the answer to that, but she wasn't about to exploit it and risk her cushy little stay and future plans. Instead, she was going to play a little game to get the other girls eliminated. She wasn't going to end up with Tommy, but if she could scheme and manipulate her way to the top three, then she was going to do it.

"I think that's what we need to figure out," she told them. "We need to get sneaky and find out just what Jude's all about and then expose her to Tommy for what she really is."

"Yeah. A whore!" Tori Lynn bit out nastily, teeth clomping together, spit flying with the ferocity of her words and anger.

Karma cringed and sat back out of Tori Lynn's line of fire.

"But how do we do that?" Parker asked, leg jiggling nervously on the lawn chair. "Jude always finds a way to hang out with him."

"They're not always together. He's not with her when he's in the studio right? So what's she doing then?" Karma asked pointedly. "Besides, take advantage of them being together. Use Jude to get to Tommy. If you can do that and then expose her for her true self… Well, he kicked off two girls that spoke out against Jude, but if you do the opposite and…befriend her, you could find out her secrets and steal him away." She thought she heard the cameraman snickering, but ignored him and inwardly relished the looks on both women's faces. Parker appeared to be resigned to the idea that she was going to have to play nice with Jude, while Tori Lynn had stopped stroking the shoe and started twirling her hair, eyes gleaming dreamily as if she thought of her happy ending with Tommy.

Fat chance.

This was the perfect set up. They had fallen for it and Karma could practically see the drama that would ensue.

It was going to be fantastic.

Once it started, not only would she get camera time for instigating the little endeavor but she'd be sure to tip to Tommy off and make certain that her 'competition' was eliminated. Eventually she'd join the rest of the show's cast-offs, but she wasn't going down without a fight.

88888888888888888

_**"I can do this, right? I mean…I can pretend to like her for the sake of winning Tommy. He's worth it, right? I mean, I think he's worth it. He better be worth it if I'm going to make nice with that flat-chested slut. Shit….I don't think I can do it."**_

**-Parker**

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"What can I do for you, Parker?" Tommy asked politely. He smiled, but it was the practiced smile of a performer and the woman standing in front of him bought it, not doubting it's sincerity. Her rigid posture relaxed and the mean look in her eyes softened.

"I'm looking for Jude," she finally managed. She returned Tommy's smile, but he could see it was forced and was pretty sure that saying Jude's name gave her a facial tick. Interesting. "We're supposed to be practicing for the challenge tomorrow."

He hid his cringe at the mention of the challenge. When he'd gotten the notes and script for the next competition, he'd nearly walked. The girls were supposed to lip sync and dance to all the songs from his dorky past, as Jude liked to call it. To make it even worse, Chaz Blackburn, former Boyz Attacker and frenemy to Tommy would be there to help judge the lipsync. Which wouldn't be awful if it weren't for the fact that Chaz and Jude hated each other.

It wasn't even just a general dislike. It was actual-- I would rather kill you than spend any kind of time with you-- hate. Tommy wasn't exactly sure what had stirred up such bad blood between the two, but Jude could barely handle hearing the guy's name without turning into an animal ready to attack. And he'd never gotten either one of them to come clean about the reason for their feud.

Lipsync. Chaz. Jude.

On a normal day, Tommy would say that it definitely wasn't going to be pretty, but Jude had her period and that didn't bode well for anyone. His first hand knowledge of this involved a scar that still made him wince if he saw it. Tommy wasn't sure if he should warn Marcus of the impending disaster or allow it to unfold. Chaz would probably only survive if he stayed as far from Jude as possible.

"Uh…sorry, Parker. I can't really help you out." Tommy started to close the door to his room but Parker stuck her hand out to stop him. Another fake smile stretched across her lips. "She's not with you though, right? 'Cause we've looked all over the mansion and can't find her." She eyed him suspiciously as she kept her hand in the way of the door and he was tempted to go ahead and close the door anyway, right on her fingers.

"Did you check all the closets? She likes to hide in closets."

"No, but…"

"Look, Parker, if Jude doesn't want to participate, then just do it without her. You're wasting your valuable practice time looking for her. Don't let her make you look bad. If she's not ready, it will be all on her," he told her.

The stubborn woman started to protest, but quickly changed tact and offered up yet another tooth grinding smile. "I just don't want Jude to get sent home, ya know. I mean…we've gotten to be such good friends."

Oooh…the little bitch was lying. Interesting. It was also clever to try to use Jude's friendship to get on his good side. Too bad she didn't sound the least bit sincere.

"Just…if you see her, let her know that we're going to go ahead and start practicing. We can get her all caught up later, I guess." As she finished speaking, she leaned forward and closed her eyes, lips puckering.

Tommy leaned back and reached for the doorknob. "Ok. Will do. Later." He shut the door in her face and turned back to the figure curled up on his bed, watching TV. She was laying on her side, face pale, eyes drawn as she kept her attention on the movie he'd put on to distract her.

"Stupid bitch." The words were flat and monotone, but Jude had clearly heard the entire conversation and Tommy chuckled at her name-calling as he resumed his spot next to her on the bed. "There's no way I'm doing that challenge," she mumbled. " I refuse to dance to your music."

"I'd protest, but I completely understand," he readily agreed.

"And then stupid Chaz will be here. Like I need that type of aggravation on top of everything else," she grumbled. The grumble was followed by a sniffle and Tommy frowned. "Are you crying?"

A garbled "no" came out and his heart squeezed just a little. He moved closer until he was spooning her. He knew she was hormonal and that her cramps were bad and that her entire body was sore and bruised from the hockey. Her entire world didn't seem fair and she'd come to him to escape the rest of the women in the house claiming that they were treating her oddly…like actually being nice and she couldn't take it.

"Don't cry, babes." He whispered against her neck and looked down at her. "Do you want me to rub your back?"

She didn't move and she was still sniffling, her eyes never straying from the TV screen, but he caught her nod and his hands eased between them to gently rub her lower back. Usually when Jude got like this he backed off and gave her space, but that wasn't what she seemed to need this time. And if a little TLC would help her get through the next couple of days, then he was glad to offer his services. He didn't like it when Jude was miserable and it was worse, because it was partly his fault.

A small voice broke into his thoughts, the "Thank You" barely discernable over the hum of the movie, but he heard it and spent the next twenty minutes working his magic hands, even after Jude had fallen asleep.

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Jude hated Chaz Blackburn. He was a pervy creep that couldn't seem to grasp the idea that his days as a Boyz Attackers were over. She didn't understand why Tommy stayed in contact with the guy but it was probably a byproduct of the guilt he'd carried since abandoning the 'Boyz' for his solo album. It should have been enough that Tommy's first solo attempt had crashed and burned, but Chaz liked to yank on the guilt strings every so often. Which was probably why he was on the show. He'd want to grasp any opportunity to ride Tommy's coattails. Stupid dickhead.

Of course, Jude was aware that the dislike she felt was completely mutual. It might have stemmed from the fact that he'd propositioned her and she'd told him that it would never happen. His "what if I'm the last man on earth?" had been meant as a cute follow up.

Jude had never responded well to cute.

Instead, she laughed in his face and told him, "If you were the last guy on Earth, I'd set myself on fire, because not only is there no way I'd sleep with you, I wouldn't want you touching my dead body either." She been quite pleased with that comeback and he'd avoided her ever since, unless, of course, he wanted to say something nasty. Truthfully, it was a silly feud, based on a drunken experience and disrespect. It hardly made sense to even call it a feud. But hating Chaz was familiar and she kind of enjoyed it.

Even though he was gross, but all the girls in the house swarmed him the second he entered the living room, gushing over him in his over-the-top shiny shirt and white shoes. He'd left the top buttons of the shirt undone, a large V of skin and barely there chest hair on display, accessorized with a thick gold chain that he'd worn in his Boyz Attack days.

Jude wanted to vomit.

Finger to her mouth, she was about to make an exaggerated gagging gesture at the camera when a warm body sidled up next to her. "Are you going to play nice?" Tommy whispered out the side of his mouth.

"I'm not going to play at all," she responded. "I'm going to pretend he's a perfect stranger and I hope that he remembers to do the same."

"Uh oh…" Tommy's voiced trailed off and Jude glanced in the direction he was looking. "Looks like you've been spotted."

Chaz had caught sight of Jude as she stood away from the group and his beady brown eyes widened in surprise and momentary appreciation.

"Looks like you have a new admirer," Tommy chortled. "Maybe you two can finally patch things up and get along."

Jude barely controlled the hiss that threatened to escape. "I wouldn't bet on it. That douche is the last person I'd willingly make nice with and you know it. He's a vile specimen. Proof that boybands are evil."

"What if I promised to let you drive the Viper whenever you wanted…"

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_**"Tommy is pretty much what Chaz would be like if he had emotions and a personality. Uh….don't tell Jude I said that."**_

**-Sephe**

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"I am seriously rethinking my hands off Jude policy," Chaz leered as he and Tommy took their seats to watch the lipsync.

Tommy tried not to smirk as creepy-mc-creeps-a lot, as Jude referred to him, pretended that his 'policy' was the only reason he stayed away from Jude. He seemed to remember Chaz being afraid Jude might permanently castrate him or something. And clearly, her attitude had not been altered. Even the lure of the Viper hadn't been enough for her to make peace with his former band-mate. She'd pretty much implied that she'd rather gouge out her insides with a spoon. She was so melodramatic sometimes. Just one of her many charms, he reasoned.

"Just stay away from her, Chaz. She's got enough to deal with without throwing an assault charge into the mix," Tommy informed him as they got their mic packs adjusted.

Chaz looked insulted. "Hey! I'd never attack her. No means no and all that shit," he said defensively. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, running a finger around his gold chain like it was choking him.

Tommy smirked. "Yeah, well, you might not hit her, but she'd knock you on your ass if you tried anything. Best to stay clear."

The uncomfortable, 'I might shit my pants' look on Chaz face didn't go away until the girls started to line up on the make-shift stage the crew had set up for the contest. Marcus signaled that they were ready to start.

"Okay, people," he yelled to quiet everyone down. "Here's how this works. Each group gets one shot at this. Even if you mess up. No retakes here. We're on a tight schedule. Chaz is going to pick the winning group and those ladies will be Tommy's V.I.P.'s for the evevning. To start this all off, Tommy's going to give a little speech to explain this all. Look interested and nervous please. Oh…also, once we wrap here, you guys will have an hour to get ready for the elimination ceremony and then we'll bus you over to the club Chaz is performing at tonight."

That last part was news to Tommy. He hadn't realized Chaz was still performing. "You've got a solo act?" He knew Chaz liked the spotlight but he hadn't realized the man was capable of doing anything that didn't have Boyz Attack attached to it.

Still eying the girls in front of him, Chaz shrugged. "I get paid to show up at clubs; sometimes to emcee events. That's what I'm doing tonight. They're having a contest for Canadian Idol. The winner gets to try out in front of the judges without having to wait in line," he explained, his smirk letting on that he was pleased with the gig. Obviously he wasn't going to turn down any kind of work, no matter how cheesy.

Tommy opened his mouth to comment, but changed his mind. He honestly wasn't much better than Chaz. He had his own reality show for god's sake. That was just as pathetic. Maybe even more so, because at least Chaz's appearances were limited to small audiences, whereas Tommy was going to make an ass of himself in front of, hopefully, millions of viewers.

"Sounds great," he finally lied. While he didn't begrudge Chaz the hosting gig, he did want to kick Marcus' ass for planning a night out that would include watching his former band-mate humiliate himself. It was also a given that he'd get roped into 'judging' the contest, which if he was honest, was probably the whole point in the first place.

There wasn't much time to dwell on it as Marcus pointed to him to spout off his dialogue for the scene. Once that was out of the way the music cued up and the stage/living room area was filled with the strains of "We Fit Together", one of Boyz Attacks' first hits.

Karma, Scarlet and Tori Lynn took to the stage, hamming it up while Tommy cringed. Their outfits weren't much more than bikinis and Scarlet didn't know any of the words. Tori Lynn knew the words but her shoes were impossibly tall and ugly and she couldn't dance in them. Karma was the only one with any sort of coordination and not only did she know the words, but she wasn't just mouthing them. Big surprise that a camera whore like her would need to be heard and not just seen.

Chaz was enjoying the show thoroughly if his expression of skeevy admiration was an indication. Of course there were three sets of fake boobs bobbing in time with the music, what wasn't to like?

Mercifully, the song only last four minutes and Tommy did his boybander best to smile and look impressed. Chaz clapped enthusiastically, the motion making him slide of his chair, his slippery pleather pants unable to provide enough friction to keep him in place.

"Next group!" Marcus yelled.

Parker and Diana made their way front and center.

Tommy's mouth dropped open.

Oh. Sweet. Jesus.

Dominatrix Di must have dug into her wardrobe to provide the costumes for their group. Both she and Parker were clad in skin tight body suits. It appeared to be the same pleather Chaz's pants were made out of. Parker's suit was a metallic gold while Diana's was all black.

So where was their third girl?

Parker was visibly pissed, her entire body clenched with barely controlled rage. While she was on the verge of a melt-down, Diana just smiled, flashing big teeth in Chaz's direction and snapping them like an animal. Chaz's interest was immediate and Tommy winced.

"Is there a problem?" Marcus hissed at Parker.

The sour-faced brunette opened her mouth to snark at him, but stopped, briefly glancing at Tommy before plastering another smile on her face. "No problem. Jude's just slow putting on her costume."

"I'll help her," Chaz volunteered and started to slide off his chair. Tommy laid a hand against his chest and shoved him back. "I'll do it. Be right back," he offered and moved across the room quickly, ignoring the grumbling that started behind his back.

It wasn't hard to find Jude. Even _she_ couldn't hide wearing the one piece silver spandex-slash-faux-leather jumpsuit. She was pacing back and forth in the hallway and snarled "I hate you" when he came into view. "So much."

"You don't meant it," he shook his head as he approached.

"I suppose it's better than that bikini…" her voice trailed off because even she couldn't make herself believe that.

"So, what exactly are you supposed to be?" His eyes roamed her body, examining each silver clad inch with barely disguised appreciation. The body suit might have been over the top, but Jude filled it out in all the right places.

"Stop leering," she grumbled. "I think we're space prostitutes."

He snorted. That was a surprisingly apt description. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh," he tried to cough to cover up the choked laughter threatening to escape.

"No. You really shouldn't. You owe me…so big, Quincy." A finger poked into his chest to emphasize each word. Her face tipped up and her big eyes were narrowed and he couldn't help but stare at her lips as she delivered her threat. "When this is all done…you're going to be paying me back for the rest of your life. And even after that…your children will still owe me."

He almost told her it wasn't fair to hold their kids responsibly for his bad judgment, but he caught himself. Where the hell had that thought come from? Their kids?

"I can see you know this already," Jude's serious expression stretched into a smirk that quickly morphed into a cringe as the music for 'Put Me Back Together Again' started. Rolling her eyes, she thumbed back toward the stage she'd been avoiding. "I gotta go sell my wares on a figurative corner while we bump and grind to Boyz Attack's best. You better find a seat. I might give you a discount on my services if you smile pretty."

She left him standing there, shaking his head as he admired her ass and contemplated his wayward thoughts and the 'services' Jude might offer up later if he could get her alone.

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**"**_**Do I think I have what it takes to be Tommy's Rock of Love? This isn't fucking Canadian Idol….Oh, fine. I think Tommy's the dreamiest man I've ever met. I can only hope that he'll see past all of the breasts being shoved in his face and notice me.**_**"**

**-Jude**

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Sephe, Katie, Corey and Jude had all squeezed themselves into a back corner booth as far away from everyone in the club as humanly possible. They're groups had _not_ won the lipsync and even though coming to club to watch Chaz emcee what was quickly becoming an amateur stripper/singing contest wasn't something any of them had wanted to do, they were stuck. Camera's were still rolling and they couldn't leave until Tommy did.

Although to be fair, from where they were sitting, it looked like Tommy had it way worse than they did. Not only was he stuck at the very front table closest to the stage –so close that the girl who had wet her shirt first before singing had gotten water all over the table- but he was surrounded by the V.I.P. winners of the night. Karma, Scarlett and Tori Lynn. Diana and Parker were at a table close by and probably would have gone unnoticed by all if Parker weren't shooting out death-rays with her eyes, in Jude's direction.

"I swear to god, Parker's totally going to kill me in my sleep one night," Jude observed as the grudge-holding brunette lofted a particularly chilling glare her way. "You're going to wake up one morning and there's going to be blood and guts splattered everywhere and I'll be hacked to pieces on the bed with my eyes wide open and staring blankly at the ceiling," she told Sephe, her words only a little slurred as she clutched her beer bottle possessively.

Sephe took a long pull of her own beer and rolled her eyes. "Nice image there, Jude. Seriously…I think I'm cutting you off now." She reached across the table to take Jude's beer away only to have it slosh over the table in the weak tussle.

"You can't take it from me," Jude whined. "I need it to soothe my nerves…to…to make me numb while we're held against our wills and forced to endure torture by bad singing."

Katie laughed. "I've never seen you so melodramatic, Jude. If it's so bad, why don't you go sing?"

"No," Jude shook her head. "Because the others would feel bad about themselves when I finished." She said it so matter-of-factly that they all burst into laughter at the unprecedented display of cockiness.

"What's so funny?"

Three heads swiveled in the direction of the familiar, deep voice as Jude refocused her attention on her beer.

"Jude is amusing us," Sephe offered up as Tommy hovered near the end of their booth.

"You're cut off," he said immediately as he looked at Jude.

She deliberately took another drink and gave him her best 'whatever' look. "You are _not_ the boss of me."

Sephe snickered and Tommy glowered as Katie and Corey both watched the scene curiously.

"Do you want a repeat of the barf fest from a few nights ago?" he asked pointedly.

Jude's grimace would have been answer enough but she followed it up with "Ugh. No. Cause then we'd end up naked together and that never seems to go anywhere, does it Speedracer."

Tommy swore under his breath.

In the next instant Jude was pulled from her seat, displacing Sephe as she was dragged after Tommy.

"Where are you taking me?" She tried to pry his fingers off her arm, but it didn't work and she stumbled as he pulled her. They bumped into people as they moved through the crowd until they reached the front table again.

"I'm putting you in time-out, right next to me. You're going to sit there and drink water until I say that you can get up."

"What if I have to go the bathroom?" she asked belligerently as he gently pushed her down into the chair next to his before taking his seat.

"I'll take you." He didn't look at her as he started to shuffle the contest judging papers on the table in front of him.

"You can't watch me pee!" she protested, outraged at the idea. Heads turned around them, hearing only part of the conversation with her raised voice.

"I won't watch. I'll just escort you," he clarified.

"I don't want to sit up here," Jude pouted.

Tommy ignored her and instructed the waitress to bring over two waters.

"Tough shit." He turned back to Jude. "I know this sucks but you aren't the only one suffering here. Do you think it's fun for me to spend my evening listening to this when I could be working on my own music." He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, dislodging the normally perfect strands.

"I was fine. I was with my _friends_. You aren't my only fri…" her words were cut off by a tongue in her mouth as Tommy kissed her to keep her quiet. The kiss was short and forceful and when he pulled back, Jude's eyes were big and unfocused. "Just drink your water," he told her and turned his attention back to the stage.

The next contestant was waiting to perform but Chaz was still missing even though the intermission was over.

"Ouch!" A sharp pain shot up his arm and he jerked back to Jude. Her attention was directed behind him but she reached out to pinch him again and he snagged her fingers.

"Stop it!" he commanded, holding her hands hostage. Drunk Jude usually amused him, and he'd gotten to see a lot of her since the show started taping, but this…this was getting annoying.

"Tommy!" She whispered loudly. "Chaz just came out of the women's bathroom zipping up his pants."

He responded with a 'duh' look. "Even guys have to unzip to take a piss, Jude." As he spoke his gaze wandered in the same direction Jude was staring and sure enough, Chaz was making his way back onstage, clothes slightly disheveled and gold chain askew. He realized now that Jude had said 'women's bathroom' implying something else altogether. Even so, that wasn't necessarily that interesting or unusual. The Boyz Attack gang had all had their fair share of bathroom trysts. This one was a little bit more interesting because the girl trailing behind the has-been boybander, awkwardly adjusting her own clothes, was Scarlet.

The naughty nurse pulled at her skirt self-consciously as she made her way back to the front table.

Chaz hopped onto the stage and grabbed his microphone. His first remark was an unnecessary comment about feeling 'refreshed' after the break. He winked at the audience, most specifically at Scarlet as she reached the judging table.

"Well, that's disgusting," Jude deadpanned.

The Rock of Love cameras were circling like vultures that had caught the scent of a soon to die animal and Tommy wanted to leave…or maybe just crawl under the table to hide from the drama that was sure to unfold. This was the last thing he wanted to deal with. But he couldn't pretend it hadn't happened because the crew had caught on, and well…Jude was right, it was pretty disgusting.

If the cameras hadn't been present to record everything Tommy would have just let it go. He wasn't even the tiniest bit upset by Scarlet's indiscretion. She'd never really interested him much anyway; there was no emotional connection between them. And while she was pretty in that slutty groupie kind of way that had appealed to him when he was 18, she wasn't attractive to him now. But Anna was whispering frantically into her head set and he knew that they wanted documented drama, wanted someone to react to Scarlet's 'betrayal'. He needed to decide whether to play the wounded bad boy or the angry, scorned bad boy. Tough call…

"Uhm, Jude? You're in my seat," Scarlet's horsey voice interrupted as Tommy contemplated his course of action.

"Sorry. I'm in timeout. Park it somewhere else," Jude sounded uninterested and barely looked Scarlett's direction. Instead she pretended the girl onstage butchering a Katy Perry song was the most interesting thing she'd ever seen.

"But that's my seat," a clueless Scarlett insisted.

"Scarlett," Tommy moved to get up but Jude sighed loudly and slapped a hand against his chest "Let me," she said, and he sank bank further into his chair as she stood up to face Chaz's bathroom buddy.

Off-key warbling filled the air behind them and Tommy knew he should do something but…well, it was kind of fun to watch Jude defend his honor.

"Listen, Scarlet, while you were off getting your jollies with the Chaz-inator in the bathroom, Tommy made me come sit next to him to keep him company. You forfeited your spot."

Karma chose that moment to return from the bar. She was escorted by a cameraman and her eyes lit up as she took in the drama unfolding without her. Tommy wondered if she was prepared to join in the fray to grab some camera time. Anna walked up behind Karma and whispered in her ear and it became clear that that was the idea.

"You're such a BITCH, Jude. You have no idea what you're talking about," Scarlett talked back, hands crossed defensively in front of her.

"Really?" Jude mimicked the other woman's stance.

"Yeah. Why would I ever go off with someone else when I'm here because I love Tommy," she simpered. Her eyes teared up, so artfully timed even Tommy had to admit that Scarlet was convincing as the wrongly accused innocent.

But Jude wasn't buying it. She smirked and winked at Tommy, forcing him to hide a grin behind his hand. "Oh…okay. So when they play the feed on your mic, they're not going to hear anything with your voice saying 'Oh Chazzie…do me faster…harder…' right?"

Scarlett's entire face flushed purple and she looked so angry she reminded him of a cartoon character whose head was going to pop off. What happened next, however, was less exploding head, and more crazy girl trying to strangle the girl that had called her out. Scarlet went for Jude. Jude, who saw it coming, sat down out of reach and Karma did what she'd been aching to do. She snatched the camera's attention by leaping in to take Jude's place in the fight.

It was the kind of skank fight all reality show producers dreamed of. There was hair pulling, fake nail scratching and plenty of expletives thrown in for color. Marcus would cream himself when he saw the footage.

The fight moved away from the judges' table and the crowd formed a circle around the dueling divas, no longer caring about the stuttering singer left bewildered on stage.

It took several minutes before Anna had Big Lou step in with the help of the club's security to break things up.

Scarlet was carried outside; hunks of Karma's weave clenched in her fists.

Anna sidled up next to Tommy. "I called Marcus as soon as we caught sight of Scarlett going into the bathroom with Chaz. He's on his way. I already sent him a text about the fight and he's going to give her a lecture on violence and explain that because she attacked another cast mate, she'll have to leave the show." Anna rushed off to observe Scarlet's parking lot meltdown.

Chaz restarted the show, unconcerned with the fate of the women he'd just boffed.

"Why didn't they just let you kick her off?" Jude whispered as they settled in to listen to the next contestant.

"Marcus is trying to speed up the eliminations since they cut back the production time. Kicking her out this way is more dramatic than me kicking her out later," Tommy explained. He and Marcus had already discussed getting rid of multiple girls at a shot during some of the eliminations and explaining it in terms of 'not wanting to lead anyone on'.

"Are you still eliminating someone tonight then?"

Tommy shrugged lazily. "Depends on if any other girls decide to sleep with Chaz before the night is through."

"I don't think he could get it up again."

The laughter that followed was interrupted by Tori Lynn's reappearance at the table. She'd left before break to go clean off some spot only she could see on her suede pumps. She sat town and turned to the group. "You guys will never believe what I overheard while I was in the bathroom…"

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_You got me begging you for mercy  
Why wont you release me?  
You got me begging you for mercy  
Why wont you release me?  
I said release me_

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Jude told herself that she was only going to Tommy's room to talk. That was it. She couldn't sleep and she'd gone to get a glass of warm milk but detoured in his direction, because if he was still awake she might be able to ask him how the album was going or hear any new stuff he'd been working on. It had only been a few days since they'd written "Gotta Be Somebody", but that few days could have inspired any number of amazing songs and she missed being his person, the one he shared his lyric ideas with and ran new riffs past.

It was only about the music. There would be no kissing or naked wrestling or anything that fell outside the realm of best friends. Because that was what Tommy wanted. Otherwise he would have said something, right? He would have mentioned all the craziness between them, right? Not that it was really that crazy, just different and not at all what friends did. But he hadn't brought it up or tried anything else unless she counted that kiss at the bar, which she didn't, because he'd only kissed her to shut her up and it hadn't even last that long and…

Still thinking, she walked straight through Tommy's bedroom door and absently noted that Big Lou had already gone to bed. As she stepped inside she stopped in her tracks and barely kept hold of her glass of milk. The white liquid sloshed over the sides and onto her fingers while her other hand flew to her mouth.

Tommy's bed shook, vibrating with his flailing gyrations. Incomprehensible noises came from a mouth that appeared to have been stuffed full with a sock and then secured there with some kind of leather band around his head.

"Oh…it's like Christmas and my birthday have come all at once," she finally whispered through her shock.

Tommy was laid out on the bed, trussed up like a turkey, wearing only his boxer briefs, with his hands tied up, one to each of the posts that framed the headboard. His eyes were large with panic and he jerked his head at Jude in an awkward 'come here' gesture.

She shook her head. "Maybe I should come back later." As she stepped back his eyes widened and he frantically tugged on the hand restraints. The headboard moved spastically and thudded against the wall. His butt came up off the mattress as he continued to thrash around and it became obvious that his feet were also tied.

Jude's legs finally unlocked and she moved, setting her glass down on the nightstand as she approached.

"What the hell happened? Did ninjas catch you unawares?" she joked as she untied the  
leather band.

He spit out the sock and continued to spit between deep gasps of air. "Very funny," he wheezed. "Untie me."

"But clearly someone went to a lot of trouble…"

"Jude!"

She shook her head, unable to hide her enjoyment of the situation. "Far be it from me to interrupt your kink."

"Jesus Christ, Jude. I was _sleeping_. And then I tried to rollover and woke up to discover myself tied to the fucking bed like some kind of slave." He shivered, the movement halted because of his restraints.

If ever there was a time for Jude to get the giggles, it was now. And giggle she did. Her whole body shook with her amusement.

"GODDAMMIT! Stop laughing and untie me!" Tommy hissed. "What if they come back?"

There was real fear in his voice and Jude sobered. "They? You think there was more than one?"

"I don't know. Just untie me…Please!" he begged.

She gave in and started to reach for his left hand but changed her mind and went for his feet instead. This kind of opportunity would probably never present itself again and she intended to enjoy every minute of it that she could.

"My hands, Jude…get those first," He ordered.

She shook her head and ran a finger down his bare leg as seductively as one could run a finger down a hairy male leg. "Nope. I want to enjoy this moment."

Tommy groaned and sucked in a deep breath. "Listen…if you want to tie me up and have your way with me some other time, I'm all for it. But for now…please…"

"Please what?" she tickled the bottom of his right foot and laughed as he tried to pull it away only to be thwarted by the ties that kept him bound.

"Come on, Jude! If you love me at all…"

He looked so desperate that she gave in. "You're no fun, Quincy," she mumbled and went to work on the knotted silk scarf around his ankle.

"I promise we'll play slave and master some other time."

Jude stuck her tongue out at him and turned her attention to the knots. There were several and they were done up pretty tightly, made even more difficult to undo because the silk was kind of slippery. "I think I might have to cut you loose."

As the words left her mouth, humming came through the open bedroom door accompanied by the click clack of heels on the tiled hall floor.

Jude's only reason for what she did next was simple.

She panicked.

It was cowardly and not at all like her, but in her defense, she'd never been in that kind of situation before where she'd been trying to free someone else's sexual slave.

It took several moments of deep breaths, surrounded by the darkness of Tommy's closet to realize how silly she was being. But instead of jumping back out to Tommy's rescue, she stayed silent and waited. She might as well go for the big reveal.

The humming stopped and a muffled "Oh, you're awake," drifted through the door, followed by more words she couldn't quite make out. Carefully, she opened the door just a skosh to hear better so she could pick a time to jump out and save Tommy if it was necessary.

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_You've got me begging you for mercy  
Why wont you release me?  
You've got me begging you for mercy  
Why wont you release me?  
I said you'd better release yeah yeah yeah_

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He was going to kill Jude. Absolutely kill her.

But first he'd torture her. Maybe even tie _her_ up.

He couldn't believe she'd run into the closet to hide and just left him there to endure the evil machinations of…

Tommy gulped as a statuesque red-haired Dominatrix filled the doorway.

She was covered, head-to-toe, in bright, purple leather. Even her spike heeled, thigh high boots were made of the stuff. Chains hung off strategic pieces of the costume and he briefly wondered if tugging those chains pulled the material down and…

Focus…he needed to focus.

Diana was carrying something in her hands, something she needed a potholder for and-

"Sorry it took so long. I had to wait for Jude to leave the kitchen before I could go melt the wax."

That certainly explained the potholder. Tommy's entire body flinched. This was not good, not good at all.

Diana came forward and set down a metal container of wax on the nightstand. She paused. "Where did that milk come from?" she asked, looking curiously at the glass of milk and then at Tommy.

"How did you get your gag off?" Her eyes narrowed. "You've been a very bad boy, Little Tommy Q.. I can't believe I thought I wouldn't need my whip."

Tommy whimpered like a little girl.

If Diana brought out a whip, he was going to wet his pants. Seriously. He did not handle pain well.

"Was someone else here?" Diana asked, leaning down, her mouth right next to Tommy's ear. Then she sank her teeth into his earlobe and Tommy got dizzy as he pondered the fact that Diana might be a cannibal and that his ear would soon be lobe-less.

She moved on from his ear and toward his mouth. "What's the matter…cat got your tongue?"

No. Dear Lord, not his tongue. He clamped his lips together, an ineffectual attempt to keep Diana from biting it off, too.

The closet door opened abruptly, slamming against the wall with a loud bang. Tommy's whole body sagged with relief as he saw Jude emerge.

"What are you doing here?" Diana snarled, stepping back from the bed and toward Jude.

Jude's arms were crossed over her chest and she shrugged casually, like her best friend wasn't about to be molested against his will. "I was going to watch, but it's not as much fun as I thought it would be."

"This is a private party." Diana bared her teeth to snarl at Jude.

"Not anymore. Or at least, not until you leave. Scram, Di. Tommy's not into this."

For the second time that day, it looked like Jude was going to be attacked, but Di had barely crouched to pounce when Big Lou staggered into the room, camera crew hot on his heels. Within seconds, the burly bodyguard had Diana contained.

"Sorry, Jazzy hands," he apologized profusely. "Karma distracted us. She thought she saw Scarlet trying to break back into the house by sneaking through the fence."

The guy holding the camera next to Big Lou couldn't have been getting a very good shot of the chaos in front of him; the camera was shaking too badly. Tommy realized that everyone in the room was laughing, even Jude.

"Could someone untie me, please?" He asked, way past the point of embarrassment. Waking up naked in Central Park had been embarrassing. This…this was nothing. Or at least it would be nothing once someone actually untied him.

"Sure."

But no one moved. Big Lou still had his massive arms wrapped around a slippery Diana and the cameramen and crew would have to put down their equipment to help and they'd probably lose their jobs if they did that.

"Can't I just enjoy this?" Jude asked through her laughter.

"Some best friend you are," Tommy growled.

"Can you imagine the story I'm going to be able to tell to your children someday?" she asked cheerfully as she came back over to the bed and started loosening the knots on the scarves around his right hand.

"No. There will be no stories, Jude. This goes in the vault. Seriously. It goes into the vault that's_inside_ the vault." He did not want this story passed down to his children. And Jude would do it too. He could just picture her giving them a bath and telling them all about the time their daddy got tied up by a crazy woman.

"Uh…I hate to break this to you, babe, but those cameras right over my shoulder," she looked and waved at them as she spoke, "they're documenting this. It's not going in the vault. It's going on your reality TV show and hundreds of thousands of people will get to see it." She patted his shoulder consolingly and then turned back toward the crew. "These knots are little bitches…I think I'm gonna need some scissors."

TBC…..


	14. Chapter 12

_**Chapter 12**__- Poker Face_

_I wanna hold em' like they do in Texas Plays_

_Fold em' let em' hit me raise it baby stay with me (I love it) _

_Lovegame and intuition play the cards with Spades to start _

_And after he's been hooked I'll play the one that's on his heart  _

*******

The elimination ceremony was somber and seven of the ten girls didn't understand why it had been so hastily thrown together. Sephe and Jude stood slightly apart from the group, both trying not to smile as they watched the others twitch nervously. And even though Diana didn't seem all that concerned, she was the reason they'd been pulled from their beds just after dawn.

Jude had woken Sephe up to fill her in before Big Lou had the chance.

"That crazy bitch," Sephe had bit out through her own laughter. "I knew she was messed up but…wow. Poor Tommy."

That last sentence had earned a snort from Jude. "Poor Tommy, my ass. I think he was enjoying it."

"Maybe if he thought you were the one who tied him up."

Shaking her head, Jude had sighed. "I can't say I haven't thought of gagging him before, but tying him up? Eh…." She had to admit the whole slave and master thing did have potential. However, when she thought of getting him to do her bidding, it usually involved making him wash her car or take out her garbage.

As the rushed ceremony unfolded, with a stone-faced Big Lou close at Tommy's side, Jude felt a pang of sympathy for her best friend. He looked extremely uncomfortable as Marcus finished setting up the camera shots for the close up reactions. It was clear that he hadn't bothered to shave, and even though she found his stubble dangerously sexy, he also looked tired, and not just from a lack of sleep. It was a fed up kind of tired—a look she recognized from working with several of their more demanding and annoying artists. Only this was somehow worse.

Finally, everyone was ready and Marcus cued Tommy.

He started off with a speech he'd clearly taken great pains to memorize, but several sentences into it, he stopped. "You know what? I can't do this," he shook his head, shoulders slumping under his dark hoodie as disgust and frustration distorted normally relaxed and symmetrical facial features.

The room was completely still. Everyone held their breath, even the camera crew, as they waited for him to go on.

Tommy ignored the crew and addressed the lineup of women. Jude hadn't seen him this annoyed in a long time.

"Listen, ladies. The past couple of days have been crazy. Some of you seem to have a real problem with the choices I've been making, choices that are actually a direct reflection of your actions. I'm tired of the bullshit. I'm not saying you have to get along, but if you're upset that I seem to be spending more time with a particular person than anyone else, then YOU are the one who needs to step up her game. As bat-shit crazy as Diana is," he glanced at the fierce, angry-looking woman standing on the edge of the group, "she at least took a little bit of initiative to get my attention.

And while I don't appreciate being tied up and held against my will, I also don't appreciate people who won't accept responsibility for their lack of action. That said, none of you are allowed into my room unless you are invited. So Diana, pack up your kink and go the fuck home. Your backstage pass has been revoked."

There was complete silence for a moment until Diana started in with a, "Fuck you, Little Tommy Q!" and stormed off with her leather clad thighs making farting noises as they rubbed together with her hasty retreat.

Big Lou followed Diana outside, as did two of the cameramen and Marcus. The rest of the girls looked around and at each other with wide eyes.

"Note to self," Jude muttered under her breath to Sephe. "Do not tie Tommy up unless he asks first."

Sephe lost it; her laughter filled the room and was immediately joined by other nervous guffaws. Even Tommy's lips twitched.

"Okay, ladies….why don't you relax until this afternoon. We'll do the next challenge then. I'll be in the studio if anything comes up." He gave them all a tired smile and headed off.

Jude winced. That was the wrong thing to say to a bunch of women after just telling them to step up their game. His studio time was most definitely going to get interrupted.

******

"Listen up, ladies!" Big Lou bellowed. "You've got fifteen minutes to get your butts ready and into the limo. We're going somewhere."

"With Tommy?" Tori Lynn asked, more eager than a little puppy.

"He'll meet you there."

The women scattered, no one was sure what to expect but they assumed it would involve their next challenge. The not knowing was a bit of problem and the fifteen minutes they'd been given, turned into forty-five as the women contemplated what to wear for their mystery challenge.

Jude sat on the heart-shaped couch, writing in her journal, not bothering to change. She'd thrown on her holiest pair of jeans that morning, along with one of the stupid shirts EJ had packed for her. She wasn't about to run around like some kind of crazy person, trying to determine if one blue halter top was better than the other blue one because it brought out her eyes even though the other one was better for her boobs.

Jude had long since given up on her boobs.

She also knew it was pointless to explain that nothing they were wearing was going to make a difference in Tommy's eyes.

Sephe and Corey weren't as bad as the others. They were ready within the fifteen allotted minutes and joined Jude down on the couch to wait for the others.

"Jesus H Christ! We could have been there and back by now," Jude whined as they waited.

"Wanting to look nice isn't a bad thing, Jude," Sephe teased.

Jude rolled her eyes. "We don't even know what this challenge is. Last time we played hockey. No fucking six hundred dollar pair of shoes helped with that did it?"

"I actually would have paid money to see Tori Lynn play hockey in her Monolo's," Corey snorted.

Jude laughed, like she was supposed to, but it was half-heartedly. She wanted to like Corey, she really did. And for the most part she enjoyed Corey's company. But the second Tommy and Corey got near each other she sort of lost her affinity for the good-natured, sweet-faced blonde. It was silly and part of the whole show process, but she hated every smile Tommy gave away to Corey or any of the other girls. It just… it squeezed at a part of her that she wanted to ignore.

Sephe got her attention then. They'd been sitting on the couch, shoulder to shoulder. "Jude…earth to Jude…."

"Sorry. What?"

"I was just asking if you still wanted me to give you that haircut we talked about?"

Jude sat up straighter and smiled. The other day they'd been looking through hair magazines and Sephe had found a haircut that she'd thought would look great on Jude. Ever since she'd been forced back to her blonde roots, Jude had felt restless about it. Definitely restless enough to cut it short. She had enough hassles right now; she didn't need her long, tangled hair to be one of them. "Yeah…you wanna do it today?"

Sephe shrugged. "How 'bout after the challenge?"

Jude was about to agree when a storm of clip-clopping heels sounded and the other six women made their way to the couch to join them. Big Lou was close behind them and quickly ushered them out the door.

The challenge for the day turned out to be a poker game. Winner take all, including a solo date with Tommy and a gold Bowie record that had Jude salivating.

"Split the prizes," she begged Tommy when he announced the stakes. "Let someone win the date and someone else win the Bowie. Please!" she pleaded, not caring that the other girls were starring at her like she was nuts.

Tommy glanced at Marcus, who shrugged from behind a cameraman. He didn't seem to care. "Ok. Fine with me. Someone wins the date and then the Bowie will go to…well, let's just see how things play out."

Jude grinned. That Bowie was as good as hers. She wanted it so bad she could taste it. Not that it would taste good, but it would look fantastic on her wall with the rest of her record collection. And damn it, she deserved some kind of reward for all the shit she'd put up with lately.

Too bad she wasn't the only one with their eyes on the Bowie prize…

"Do you know how much money that would sell for?" Karma pondered aloud, pausing to give Jude a knowing smirk that made her cringe. Only Karma would sell a classic piece of music memorabilia. Bitch.

The set up for the actual tournament was clumsy and weird. It was obvious that it was hastily thrown together, which was probably because of the last minute time crunch on the shooting schedule. The girls ended up with twenty minutes to go over the rules of the game, if they didn't already know them. Jude didn't have time to worry about Karma anymore; she had to focus on the game, especially since she fell into the clueless category when it came to Poker.

She knew Tommy liked the game. Had even watched him and Kwest play before when they had their guys night games at his place. She'd been in charge of getting food together for those gatherings on numerous occasions, but she'd never had the desire to figure out how to actually play. Until now. Now it mattered, because there was a gold Bowie record on the line.

"Pay attention!" Sephe commanded, trying to get Jude to stay focused. She'd taken pity on her clueless friend, but it was apparent that pity wasn't going to help. "You suck at this, Jude. You'll never win the date."

Jude just shrugged. "I don't care about the stupid date. I want the Bowie and if Tommy knows what's good for him, he'll make sure I get it." Her vehement words made Sephe laugh.

Tommy was across the room, not paying much attention to the challenge as he tried to work on a new song. He heard Sephe laughing and looked up, eyes immediately drawn to Jude. Her brow furrowed the way it always did when she was confused or frustrated. He knew she couldn't play poker to save her life. There was no way she was going to win. But he'd seen how much that Bowie meant to her, so he'd have to rig it so she'd win that at least. He'd rather her win the whole fucking challenge, but he knew that wasn't going to happen, so the Bowie was the least he could do.

Once the actual Poker game got started, it was pretty fun to watch. Tommy played dealer and thoroughly enjoyed the spirit of the competition that swept around the large table.

The ladies played with partners for the first game. After that, the teams were split until it was between Katie and Sephe.

That was a huge relief. He could handle a date with either one of those two women. He couldn't handle one with Parker, Tori Lynn or Karma. They were okay in a group, where he could ignore them, but one on one would be a special kind of hell.

In the end it was Katie who won and eagerly accepted a kiss from Tommy and the promise of V.I.P. treatment for their date that evening. The rest of the ladies were ushered off to the mansion to get ready for their own evening.

Darius was hosting a charity casino night and all of the remaining ROL girls were required to attend to help promote the show. After the first part of their date, Tommy and Katie would join everyone else at the 'casino' to finish out the evening. The Bowie prize was still up in the air, but Tommy promised the winner would be rewarded after the evening's festivities concluded.

******

"We need to talk," Darius grabbed Tommy's arm, steering him away from the camera crew and his date for the evening. They'd just entered the lobby of the hotel room where Darius was hosting the Casino Night Benefit. The rest of the girls were already inside and Tommy and Katie were just finishing up their solo date and off to join the remaining ladies.

The cameras started to follow and Darius pushed Tommy towards the coat closet, but a stern had the crew quickly retreating.

"What's with the rudeness? You just pulled me away from my date," Tommy shrugged Darius' hand off his arm and straightened his jacket.

"Like you give a shit," Darius snorted. "This wouldn't be necessary if you weren't such a goddamn fool."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, I've seen the footage of you and Jude and I'm pissed. At first I tried to brush it off…but everytime Marcus sends us an update, it gets worse." Darius looked seriously annoyed. A large vein seemed to be throbbing in his shiny bald forehead.

"I still don't understand what the problem is." He could hardly understand without having seen the footage himself.

"I'll tell you what the problem is, Little Tommy Q," Darius emphasized the name, knowing it irritated Tommy. "The problem is having to watch you dry hump the girl that is supposedly your friend. And then having to watch her stumbling out of your bedroom in the morning footage. This is all happening while you've got a houseful of willing women. Women who are eligible and not Jude."

Tommy didn't to listen to this. It wasn't like he didn't know that he wasn't quite living up to the standards of a Rockstar in a house of women. It had been laid out clearly enough in the beginning that he needed to look like he was seducing the girls. And he'd tried. Sort of. It was just that…it was a lot harder than it sounded. It was one thing to get drunk at a night club and have a one night stand. It was another to see the women everyday, talk to them, get to know them and try to feel some sort of spark, all while the cameras were rolling. It wasn't natural. It was work.

The only person it didn't feel like work with was Jude.

"I don't know what you want me to say Darius. I'm still going on the dates, still making out with the other girls. It's just…this is really fucking difficult. My main concern is getting the album finished. I really don't give a shit about anything else. And in case you haven't noticed, Jude's help on the album would have been really beneficial. But she can't help, because she has to play stupid with the rest of the cast." Tommy knew Darius wouldn't appreciate his attitude, but he didn't care. He didn't like Darius' high handed manner.

"Well, then, I guess you've got to make a decision. You either have Jude in the house or you have her working on the album. You can't have everything, Tom. I'm running a business. I don't have time or money to fuck around while you try to dip your pen in the company ink."

The enclosed space started to feel uncomfortable as Tommy's irritation grew. If they didn't get out of the damn coat closet soon, he was going to do something he'd regret later and punch Darius. "That doesn't even make sense. This was all your idea, D. Not mine. I just want to make music."

"Yeah, music that I have to finance upfront. I don't mind doing that, but you have to do something for me in return. And the something means making this reality show a hit. That's not gonna happen if the only thing people can expect to see is you making out with your best friend."

Deep breath, Tommy told himself. He counted to ten in his head. "What is that you want, Darius?"

"First, I want you to back off of Jude. Distance yourself a little bit. You can still use her for info, but you don't have to pretend to be quite so interested."

That might be a problem. Tommy wasn't acting. He was definitely interested and it bothered him and intrigued and confused him. "Fine. Whatever." At this point, he'd tell Darius whatever he wanted to hear. It was easier to pretend to give then to stand there and listen to the man's blather.

"No. Not 'fine. Whatever'. I mean it, Tom. You figure out a way to get Jude off the show, and soon. This isn't a joke. And I'm not just going to take your word for it. I don't' want this down to two girls and the other one is Jude. Not gonna happen. She's gone before that or she's gone from G-Major. You pick."

Tommy's nostrils flared as he took a step forward. His face flushed with anger as he glared at Darius. "That better be a fucking empty threat. Jude doesn't even work for you, she works for me."

Darius just smiled, the bright white teeth flashing in the dim light. "Used to work for you. You're not the only one with a career riding on the success of this. Jude Harrison can drive a hard bargain. When it's all said and done, she could have a long and lucrative producing career at G-Major. She knows that and agreed to do whatever it took for this show. But…" he left the threat dangling and before Tommy could react, exited the coat room.

What the hell had Jude done?

Tommy knew Darius and Jude had come to some sort of agreement when she'd first signed up for the show, but he hadn't realize just what had been on the table for that agreement. Clearly, Jude had bartered for her career. One part of him was proud of her for bargaining with Darius to get what she wanted. The other part of him was pissed. He'd had it all worked out. He'd known that whatever happened, he was going to make sure she was taken care of. He would have made sure she ended up producing or song-writing or whatever it was she wanted.

It almost felt like she hadn't trusted him to make it happen for her. He didn't know what to think about that.

He stayed hidden for a few minutes longer until he could school his features into a Rockstar grin. It was as fake as half the boobs in the party he was about to enter, but it was what Darius wanted and apparently, if Jude was going to have any kind of future, it was what he had to do. He couldn't let Darius take advantage of Jude and that meant Tommy had to make sure he did exactly as he'd been told.

******

"Guess who?" A tone-deaf voice sang as hands covered Jude's eyes. The women had just been ushered inside Darius' swanky party, all of them more than happy to spend the thousand dollars they'd been given to gamble that evening.

"I'd know those dulcet tones anywhere," Jude smiled and turned around to greet her sister with a big hug. "Sades! It's so good to see you!"

"Ack! You too!" The sisters reached for each other, hugging fiercely before Sadie pulled back to eye Jude critically. It had been two weeks since they'd seen each other, which was a long time when they were used to seeing each other every day. Jude had managed to talk to her sister twice since they'd started taping the show. Both times the conversations had been short and had more to do with needing clothing favors than anything else.

"You look good blonde and I like the shorter length. It's sophisticated," Sadie finally said with a smirk. "And despite all of your complaints, I do like the clothes. Much better than baggy band t-shirts and jeans."

Even Jude had to agree with that assessment, although a bit begrudgingly. The sparkling black halter top and black slacks EJ had instructed her to wear did look pretty good. She'd snuck a jacket along, and for once, she actually felt like she belonged at the party instead of like she was crashing it. And Sephe had done a nice job with her hair. She liked it. But it didn't make her any less restless. In fact, watching long strands of blonde hair cover the bathroom floor had only made her nervous energy worse. Not to mention that she wasn't quite sure how Tommy would react.

The truth was, she'd cut it for that very reason-- to get some kind of reaction out of him. Everything was just so effing confusing between them right now and she was torn and…she actually didn't want to think about it anymore.

"Where's my favorite brother-in-law?" Jude asked, scanning the large, crowded room for Kwest and pushing her Tommy confusion to the back of mind.

"He's getting us some drinks." Sadie threaded her arm together with Jude's. "Ok. Come on." She started steering Jude through the crowd towards some seats. "You have to dish—tell me everything that's been happening. Has Tommy found anyone he's interested in? How are you handling it? Are any of the girls even nice?"

"Slow your roll, Taylor," Jude teased. "One question at a time." Secretly, she basked in her sisters' presence and annoying questions. It was so nice to be with someone and not have to pretend. Pretend that she wasn't close to Tommy, that she didn't have feelings for him. And she'd missed her sister's intrusive presence the last few weeks, enough that she was even going to answer her questions.

"First answer is…I don't know." Jude shrugged as Sadie's eager expression grew skeptical. "I'm sorry, Sadie, I seriously don't know. I mean…I'm pretty sure that Tommy's made out with everyone at least once at one point or another, but he hasn't really shown any kind of obvious preference for any one person. Although, I think Corey might be the one he has the best connection with."

Something twisted in her stomach as she said the words and barreled on, not really wanting to talk about Tommy's connection with Corey anymore. "You have to meet Sephe, though. She's my new B.F.F. and way cooler than I'll ever be. I can only aspire to her level of coolness."

Kwest caught up with them and Jude narrowly escaped the questions that accompanied her sister's 'not buying it' look. He handed Sadie her drink. "You're sparkling water, Madame," he presented with a flourish and a wink. Then he handed Jude a glass of dark liquid. "Diet and Bacardi for my favorite sister-in-law. I saw you and Sadie find each other." He sat down at their table and then looked at Jude with a bemused smile. "So what's this about a new B.F.F.? Has the irreplaceable Quincy been…replaced? I can't imagine he's happy about that."

"Eh…he's still my best friend with a penis. Also, I told him Sephe is my girl-crush, so he wants to watch and encourages any time we spend together."

Kwest snorted and Sadie rolled her eyes.

"But seriously, Sephe actually knows who I really am, and I don't mean that metaphorically. We had to tell her the truth because Tommy had a grey hair crisis and she's a professional hair stylist and, well, to make a long story short, she's not that into Tommy as boyfriend material, but he's letting her stay because she's cool and she's my only friend in the house."

Sadie and Kwest exchanged glances, doing that non-verbal conversation thing that Jude hated. It didn't last long and Sadie quickly turned her attention back to Jude. "Go back to the part about Tommy and a grey hair crisis. That sounds like just the kind of story I want to hear… that and the one about the bikini contest."

Jude shot Kwest a mock glare. "Can't keep your big mouth shut, can you?"

It didn't take much cajoling before she gave in and started telling them everything. Sadie was laughing hysterically as Jude regaled her with the details of her Janet Jackson moment during the catwalk challenge. "I'm so glad you are amused at my expense," she said dryly, finishing off the drink Kwest had given her.

Wiping tears from her eyes, Sadie just grinned. "It is funny, Jude. This would only happen to you. Now what's next? I know there's got to be more."

Jude hesitated, unsure what to reveal. There were plenty of other stories, stories that involved her and Tommy making out or fighting and even though Sadie and Kwest probably wouldn't be shocked, she wasn't sure she wanted to tell them. She still didn't know how Tommy felt about it all. What if he was embarrassed that he'd kissed her? It was probably safest to just keep the stories light and leave out any of the questionable details.

"Okay well, which story would you like first? The phone sex challenge, getting drunk playing Little Tommy Q trivia, the SME music video shoot where we caught Speid banging Karma or…"

Sadie and Kwest were riveted.

Forty minutes and two more drinks later, Jude was in the middle of the dominatrix Di and tied up Tommy story when she felt him behind her. She hadn't seen him come in but apparently he was done with his VIP date with Katie.

"You better not be doing what I think you're doing," Tommy's deep voice interrupted as his warm hands came down on Jude's bare shoulders. His fingers barely brushed against her skin, making her shiver even as her body flushed with heat. She tried to cover up her reaction by taking another big gulp of her drink.

"I probably am," she admitted, hoping no one had seen her reaction to him.

"I never knew you were into S and M, Quincy," Kwest joked good-naturedly.

Tommy grinned. "What can I say? I like the kink."

Jude rolled her eyes. "Please, you big baby, you were practically crying for me to untie you."

He narrowed his eyes and frowned down at her. Before she could blink she was lifted into the air and shuffled into his lap as he took over her chair.

Sadie shot Kwest a look that Jude couldn't interpret, but that probably meant she was going to get the third degree later. "Aren't the other women going to be mad that Jude's in your lap?" Sadie's question would have seemed innocent enough if one hadn't known her for so long. Jude, however, knew she was trying to sniff out information.

Tommy didn't notice and relaxed into the chair, his arms settling around Jude. She fought hard not to relax into the embrace, but failed epically. It was so warm and familiar and just…Tommy, that it was impossible not to get comfortable. That and she'd been drinking, she reminded herself, so it was probably okay. If nothing else, she'd blame it on the alcohol.

"I think they're used to it," Tommy responded. "Most of them are convinced that Jude's my favorite. They pretty much torture her for it."

It wasn't so much what he said, but how he said it that had Jude stiffening in his arms. He sounded like he didn't care. Like it was all just part of the game, other girls hating Jude was normal and okay. She wanted to hit him, but she was trapped in his hold, his arms tight around her.

"And why is that?" Kwest's curious expression flicked back and forth from Tommy to Jude.

Jude turned her head to glare at Tommy, hoping he wouldn't bring up any of the private things that had happened. She'd been so careful to leave those things out of the stories. It didn't seem right to share them, especially when they could barely talk about it with each other. She'd be more than pissed if he brought it up in front of Sadie and Kwest first.

"Jude didn't tell you how she couldn't stay away from me and got caught sneaking out of my room the first night?" He was teasing, but he would have realized he was on thin ice if he looked at her face.

"You're an ass," she hissed, embarrassed and upset. "Let me up so I can get another drink," she pushed on his arms, needing to be away from him. She was angry and hurt and she knew he thought this was all in good fun, but the fun had stopped the second she'd stepped into the mansion. That and she just couldn't handle him telling it so casually. Saying it like it didn't matter.

He used to be able to read her moods more clearly, used to be able to sense when he'd gone too far. This time, he just released her and looked amused that she was embarrassed.

Jude ignored him and turned her attention to her sister. "Sadie, do you need another drink?" Jude asked as she straightened her clothes.

"Just a water would be great, Jude," Sadie told her. She was watching Jude closely and it was making everything worse. She wanted the attention off of herself.

Kwest was as oblivious to Jude's discomfort as Tommy was. "Sounds like you left out a few details, Jude," he commented, eyes twinkling with laughter.

It wasn't funny.

She turned her back on both of them and focused on Sadie, grasping onto something to throw them off the subject of her. "Why are you drinking water?" She looked at her sister suspiciously. Sadie never just drank water. Never. It was weird and out of character and pointing it out was sure to change the focus of the conversation.

"I'm working," Sadie said, her gaze searching the crowd now instead of meeting Jude's.

"So Speid nailed Karma?" Sadie tried to change the subject, but it was too late; Jude had caught onto something.

"Since when has being at a work function ever stopped you from drinking?" Jude spoke over Sadie's question and earned a withering glare.

"Shut up, Jude. I can drink water if I want."

Jude's eyes narrowed as she stared at her sister, trying to suss out the real reason behind Sadie's beverage choice. "The only reason I can think of for you not to drink is that you're pregnant." She took a stab in the dark with that and was rewarded when Sadie's face flushed.

Exasperated, she hissed, "Shut up, Jude! We haven't told anyone yet!"

The next few minutes were occupied with a round of congratulations and a round of drinks. Jude was thrilled with the news, not only because she got to be an aunt, but selfishly, because it had effectively steered the entire conversation in a completely new direction. But it didn't take long for Kwest to get curious again and Tommy to start in on the stories from his point of view.

Annoyed and angry, she left Tommy with Sadie and Kwest and went to find Sephe. She still had a thousand dollars to lose at one of the gaming tables; she might as well get it over with.

******

_Can't read my, Can't read my _

_No he can't read my poker face _

_(she's got me like nobody) _

_Can't read my Can't read my _

_No he can't read my poker face _

_(she's got me like nobody)_

*******

Sadie watched her sister as covertly as possible, but even so, Kwest noticed. Tommy had been pulled off by a section of his coven and now she and Kwest were alone at the table, taking it all in while the party went on around them.

The place was packed, and it looked fantastic, Sadie had made sure of that. She'd managed to transform a hotel banquet hall into a fancy gaming room and her reward was that everyone was having a good time for a good cause.

All except Jude. Jude was clearly not having a good time, but she was certainly doing a good job masking it by drinking too much. At the moment she was at the bar, talking to the director and the girl Sadie assumed was Sephe. She wasn't smiling; she didn't even look like she was paying attention.

"She's fine, Sadie, let it go," Kwest insisted.

She shook her head. "Something's not right. You can't tell me you didn't notice that things seemed 'off' between them tonight."

Kwest sighed. "It's Tommy and Jude. They probably just had a fight. You know how they are."

"Yeah, but usually they fight and yell and get in each other's faces and….Jude just gave up." Sadie knew it wasn't any of her business, but she was worried.

As much as her sister denied romantic feelings for Tommy, the truth was easy enough to see. It had been for a long, long time. The breakdown had started way before the cameras started rolling, but back then, she'd hoped that Jude's time away from Tommy would give her some perspective.

Instead of time and perspective, Jude had been thrust into what was—for all intents and purposes— a three-ring circus.

The stories about the time on the show seemed light hearted enough, but Sadie had twenty-three years worth of experience reading her sister, and the girl she'd been before and who she was now seemed like two different people. The sparkle and flair were gone, replaced with a sort of weary and defeated acceptance.

"Just don't let Jude catch you giving her that look," Kwest murmured above the noise of the crowd.

"What look?"

He shook his head at his wife's feigned innocence. "The one that says: 'I'm waiting for you to break down so I can pick up the pieces.' Jude's a big girl; she knows what she's doing."

"Does she though?" Sadie looked away from Kwest and back at Jude. "She always gives into him, does whatever he asks and he asks too much from her. How can he not see that this is hurting her?"

Kwest shrugged. "He's Tommy. All he can see is that Jude is there with him. She's the only person he even takes seriously in this whole mess." Kwest's assurance might have been accepted if Tommy weren't flirting with Katie at one of the craps tables. He had his arm around her and they looked entirely too intimate. Sadie probably wouldn't have even noticed except that Jude, who wasn't paying attention to the people she was with, kept looking that direction.

"I want to kick him in the face."

"Whoa. Slow down, killer. He's not doing this to hurt her. Jude's never exactly explained her feelings to him. I'm not even sure she understands her feelings."

That was not what Sadie wanted to hear and she glared at her husband. "How do you know that? And for that matter, why should she have to declare it when it's written all over her face?"

"What are you guys talking about?" The object of their conversation had approached during their discussion and Sadie offered Jude a big smile.

"Oh…I was just commenting on how nice the girls all seem."

Jude snorted. "Parker, Tori Lynn and Karma are manipulative skanks. Nice is not in their vocabulary. Stupid? Yes. Nice? No."

Sadie eyed the drink in Jude's hand. It was probably her fifth of the night and yet another reason for her older sister to be concerned. She'd never call Jude a lush, but she was certainly drinking more than she usually did.

"What happened to drinking only in moderation in front of the cameras?" Sadie asked, her tone teasing, but not really. When Jude had called her to explain what she'd gotten roped into and why, they'd joked about staying sober so that drunken moments didn't end up broadcast to the entire VH1 viewing audience.

Jude's smile didn't reach her eyes and she shrugged with one shoulder. "Would you believe I need to be more than moderately drunk to handle this bullshit?" She wasn't joking. "Besides, it's too late to be worried. They've already captured some of my finer moments, so no use holding back."

"Careful, blondie," Kwest cut in. "Or the next reality show will be all about you in rehab."

Jude's laugh was hollow as she finished off the drink in her hand. "Anything is better than this gig." She sighed moodily.

Tommy appeared on Jude's left and swung his arm over her shoulder, pulling her close.

Sadie watched with surprise as Jude shrugged him off.

"You smell like Katie."

"So?"

"Newsflash, Tommy. Girls don't like to smell another woman's perfume on a guy." Jude didn't stick around to see his bewildered 'What'd I do?' response and Sadie couldn't believe how clueless Tommy actually was.

He shook his head as he watched Jude retreat and then looked back at his two friends. "I wish she wouldn't get so bitchy when she's got her period." The words were clearly meant as a joke to break the tension, but the joke fell a little flat.

Kwest winced, but did nothing to stop his wife as she whaled Tommy in the gut with her elbow and then stalked off to find Jude. Tommy rubbed the spot of the blow and looked at Kwest, bewildered yet again. "Why do Harrison women like to hit?"

"You kind of deserved that, man."

"No one deserves to get hit." Another flat joke. Tommy reached out and grabbed Kwest's drink from him, taking a large swallow.

"Look, maybe there's more going on with Jude than hormones."

Tommy's eyes narrowed and he cast a quick glance toward Jude. "Why? What did she tell you?"

"Nothing, but…come on. You've known her for going on eight years. You know something isn't right. Don't use the other girls as an excuse to ignore something you don't want to acknowledge."

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Kwest just shrugged, unruffled by Tom's irritation. "Look, Jude's like my little sister. I want to protect her and I used to think that's how you felt too. But you seem to have forgotten that she's got real feelings, feelings that are getting hurt by all of this…" he gestured around at the other girls.

Tommy's nostrils flared as he listened to his oldest friend tell him—Jude's best friend—that he didn't understand Jude. "I think I know Jude a little better than that. I'm not taking her feelings for granted. No way. Jude's got as much input as she wants in this whole process. I want her to have a say because she's got to be friends with the girl I end up with and…" He wanted to tell Kwest that he knew he was being a dick, but he didn't have a choice. Everything he'd done tonight had been something he'd felt fit with the character Darius wanted him to play. It was a hell of a lot harder than he'd thought it would be, too. He could see that Jude was upset, but this wasn't the place to get into it. Especially not after he'd slipped up and pulled her into his lap. It was so easy to fall into their routines and patterns and he'd done it without thinking, only to realize that the cameras were still there, and that Darius was watching.

Kwest shook his head in apparent disbelief. He looked ready to throw his hands in the air. He probably thought Tommy was blind and stupid. "Forget it. This is something you're gonna have to work out on your own."

Tommy already knew that. But tonight wasn't the night for it. He'd explain everything to Jude later, if he could ever safely get her alone.

*****

Karma had been on her best behavior the whole night. Everything was going well, really, really well. Speiderman of Speiderman Mind Explosion had been around earlier and she'd managed to meet up with him in the coat check closet for a quickie. After that, she'd worked the room like a pro, networking with anybody and everyone to promote herself. Her black beaded clutch was full of business cards.

All in all, a pretty perfect evening.

Parched, she headed to the bar for a drink, sauntering up to the empty spot next to Tommy, who was looking particularly handsome, if not a little broody.

"Having fun?" she asked and signaled for the bartender to take her order.

Tommy shrugged. "It's a fucking ball," he said and offered up a sarcastic grin before throwing back the rest of his drink.

"What's your problem?" Karma eyed him curiously. "Not getting enough attention?"

"Jesus, you are a bitch, aren't you?" There was no bite to the accusation.

"Whining doesn't get anyone very far, Tommy. I'm not about to sit on my ass and think about what I want. I'm the kind of girl that goes out and grabs opportunity by the balls. We both know I'm not going to win this, but I can sure as hell do whatever it takes to get myself noticed," Karma explained, not caring what he thought of her.

"At least you're honest about it," he conceded. He glanced back at the bar top. "Why the hell are women so fucking confusing?"

Karma was a little surprised by the question. "I suppose it's because men are confusing."

"No we aren't. We're really not. We think about three things. Food, sex and sports. And music. I think about music. But girls…you just stir up trouble. And you like it. You like drama," he mused, clearly baffled by it all.

"We're just made a little differently, that's all. And besides…guys like those differences."

Tommy shrugged, his eyes wandering off and away from Karma until they landed on someone else. He stared, his gaze intent, mouth in a frown.

Jude.

That's what this was all about.

Good lord. How pathetic.

It took her a moment, but she came to a decision as she watched Tommy pine after Jude from afar. She was going to have to facilitate more than the elimination of the other girls. She was also going to have to help Tommy and Jude realize that…well, that they were idiots for not seeing that they wanted to fuck each other's brains out.

"I'll make you a deal, Tommy," she started. "You keep me around until there are just four of us left, and I'll …."

Tommy cut her off. "You've already blackmailed Jude. No need to work on me next. I got it. You're here until after the singing challenge. No worries."

"Fine. I guess, I'll just have to go talk this over with Jude then."

"Good luck. She's a real peach tonight."

"She's probably still better company than you," Karma offered up an insincere smile and left Tommy to pout at the bar.

Men really were idiots sometimes.

******

_I wanna roll with him a hard pair we will be _

_A little gambling is fun when you're with me (I love it) _

_Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun _

_And baby when it's love if its not rough it isn't fun, fun_

******

Jude was tipsy and on a roll. It turned out she was pretty good at black jack. She'd won more than she'd lost, which wasn't too shabby. Her winning streak might have continued all night if Tommy hadn't suddenly decided he needed to be right next to her.

She'd been doing just fine without him, actually starting to have fun, but then he'd taken the seat next to her. Tommy watched her closely and did his damnedest to distract her. It actually wasn't that hard to get her attention off the game and onto him. He pretty much just needed to breathe to accomplish that. If that were all he was doing, she'd be fine, but one minute he was flirting, trying to get her attention by brushing his thigh against her or saying something laced with innuendo. The next minute he was mouthing off his part of what could have been construed as typical Tommy and Jude banter. But somehow, tonight, there was more bite to it. It was almost… It was almost mean.

Jude tried to shrug it off, but he was really trying to get to her and it was working.

"Dealer wins," The dealer told them, drawing Jude's attention back to her cards which had ended up going over 21.

"You never were good at math, Harrison," Tommy snarked as the dealer took back the cards.

"And you were never that good at dancing, Quincy." Her comeback was lame and she knew it.

He had the nerve to laugh at that. "A million girls would beg to differ. My hip gyrations were swoon-worthy."

"I can attest to that," Sadie piped in good-naturedly from the chair on Jude's right.

"Sadie!" Kwest frowned.

She just smiled cheekily and then offered up a quick kiss. "What can I say? I was young and stupid."

"Hey!" Tommy protested with a laugh.

Jude was once again distracted and when the dealer won again, she realized she'd been wiped out.

"Uh oh," Tommy whistled. "I think you're a loser," he mocked.

Jude glared. "I really don't like you right now. Why don't you go make friends with someone else? Your skanks look a little bored."

A glance around the large room found said women scattered about. Karma was talking up some producer over by the stage. Sephe, Katie and Corey were over at the bar getting hit on by a B-list actor and his entourage. It looked like Parker and Marissa were on a roll by the slot machines while Tori Lynn and Summer were in deep discussion with…ugh. Milo. Great.

Jude briefly pondered going to say hello, just to piss Tommy off, but decided she'd only be punishing herself. Instead she just stared at the small group thoughtfully. "Do you suppose Tori Lynn is wowing Milo with her expansive knowledge of the suede pump?" she mused aloud.

"Stay away from Milo," Tommy growled, not noticing the interested faces of a hovering Sadie and Kwest.

"Please, like I need a repeat of that mistake. No thanks."

Thankfully, the conversation didn't go any further as the previously occupied women of Rock of Love noticed that they'd finally managed to snag some of Tommy's attention. They swarmed quickly, like locusts, ready to devour any piece of him they could.

Jude left the group as soon as she realized the others were swooping in. She needed another drink. The bartender saw her coming and reached for the Bacardi but she shook her head. "Water this time, definitely," she told him. Two weeks of emotional binge drinking couldn't be good for her liver. She needed to stop using alcohol as a crutch.

It didn't take long for Sadie to join her at the bar. Her sister had been shadowing her most of the night. Normally she would have been annoyed but for some reason she was glad for the company. "Kind of claustrophobic over there," Sadie commented as she took a sip of her own water. Kwest was still with Tommy and appeared to be watching his friend juggle the swarm of women.

"Try living with that twenty-four seven. It's fucking exhausting." Jude propped her elbow up on the bar and rested her chin in her hand. "And they never shut up. If Sephe wasn't there to be sane, I'd probably….well, I'd go crazy. 'Cause girls are mean, Sadie. Did you know that?"

Jude's exasperated look made Sadie smile. Her expression was sympathetic and slightly indulgent as she nodded. "Yeah…I knew that, Jude."

A weary groan left Jude's mouth as her eyes pricked with tears. Emotions she'd been holding in bubbled to the surface. Having her sister there to confide in definitely brought out her vulnerable side. "I didn't think this would be so hard," she sniffled, relieved to admit it, knowing that Sadie, who had to love her no matter what, would understand. "I mean…I thought I could just stay detached. Be his best buddy like always and help him choose the right girl and then get my big payout in the end. I thought if I could just focus on getting that job Darius promised me then I could deal. But he…he makes it so hard not to care, Sadie. He does things that confuse me and… I—I don't want him to like those other girls because if he does then I might not be his girl anymore and if-if…if I'm not his girl, then who am I?" She was damn near sobbing by the end and Sadie quickly grabbed a napkin to catch the streaks of mascara running down her cheeks.

"It's gonna be okay, baby sister, I promise," Sadie offered in her most soothing voice.

Jude let Sadie steer her toward the restrooms and hoped that no one had seen her mini-breakdown.

Sadie was kind enough not to remind Jude of the mic pack she was wearing. Instead she just assured her that no one had noticed the little freak out and that everyone was entitled to a few therapeutic tears. "You've got it out of your system now, so you can head back out there and snark at those skanks as much as you want," she told her as they repaired Jude's makeup.

Impulsively, Jude hugged Sadie as tightly as possible. "Thanks for being my sister," she mumbled into her shoulder.

When they pulled apart, Sadie's eyes were watery and she sniffled along with Jude. "Damn hormones," she laughed.

They left the restroom and Jude sequestered Sadie at a table to hear all the baby details that only a proud aunt to-be could appreciate. It wasn't long before Sephe made her way over to them. Jude introduced her sister but when the other girls arrived, switched to introducing Sadie as Kwest's wife.

They had quite the little party going when the lights flickered and the stage lit up. Darius appeared, smiling broadly and wielding a microphone. He gave a lengthy speech about the generous donations everyone had made at the tables and the cause that inspired the evening.

"And now, it's with great pleasure that I introduce Tom Quincy in his first solo performance, backed up by Speiderman Mind Explosion."

The crowd went wild and Jude went silent.

He hadn't said anything about performing—not one word to even hint at it. Jude's already mad mood got worse. Now she was just plain hurt that she'd had to find out with everyone else, like she didn't even mean anything more to him than the others did.

She knew she was being irrational. Knew it and yet she didn't want to even hear him sing. She didn't want to be there in the audience like she meant nothing. She was supposed to be backstage, helping him get ready, helping him pick the song set and now…

Dammit! He'd promised her. He'd looked her in the eyes and swore that she would be right there with him. But he'd lied, this wasn't right there with him.

"I can't breathe," she rushed out, trying to push away and escape.

Sadie stopped her, grabbing her arm and then Kwest was behind her, cutting off the small exit as they were surrounded by the rest of the crowd.

"He needs you in the audience," Kwest told her. "Darius sprung this on him—he had no idea this was going to happen." The explanation didn't lessen the ache that had settled deep in Jude's chest, but she gave up on escaping.

******

_Can't read my, Can't read my _

_No he can't read my poker face _

_(she's got me like nobody) _

_Can't read my Can't read my _

_No he can't read my poker face _

_(she's got me like nobody)_

*******

Tommy was furious with Darius. The decision to perform had been last minute and completely unexpected. He should have guessed something like this would happen. Now he was nervous and his eyes scanned the crowd, trying to find Jude. He knew things had been off between them all night and it was mostly his fault, but he needed to see her now. He needed to see her face, see the reassurance and that absolute certainty in her eyes, that he'd be okay.

When he finally spotted her though, it wasn't reassurance that he saw. Instead, her face was a picture of hurt and sadness and just seeing it, transferred the emotions to him. He'd done that to her, he knew that he had and he wished he could fix it. He _would_ fix it the second he could get her alone to explain all about Darius' new level of assholishness.

It was obvious she'd been crying; he could see the glassiness in her eyes and the sight made his gut clench. He thought about leaving the stage so they could just leave and make it all go away. But SME started the first song and he had to sing—had to do what Darius wanted. Hell, he had to do what this whole reality show was about and be a Rock star. There was too much on the line for him to walk away now. His career. Hers. He couldn't be selfish when her dreams were on the line right along with his.

He did the set. Three songs. Songs that Jude had helped him write. And as the crowd got into it, clapping and moving, he got into it. He couldn't look at Jude though. If he did, he'd mess up. He'd start thinking about her instead of performing for the crowd and he couldn't do that.

Twelve minutes later the set ended and he thanked everyone before catapulting off the stage to reach Jude, but when he got to Sadie and Kwest they said she'd gone off to the bathroom.

"Where's Jude? Is she okay? Why was she crying?"

"Now you notice?" Sadie asked incredulously. At his glare, she straightened. "She had too much to drink," she finally said, looking away from him.

Tommy knew that wasn't the truth.

He sat at their table, waiting for her to come back. As soon as she did, they could disappear for a few minutes and he could set things right.

As he waited, he fidgeted, downing another drink while Sadie and Kwest talked about redoing their guest bedroom and making it a baby's room. Ignoring them, he grabbed a napkin, unable to keep still. "I need a pen," he demanded. Words were racing through his head. Words he wanted to say to Jude but didn't quite know how and maybe if it was a song…

Kwest, used to odd requests from the musicians he knew, produced one from his suit jacket.

Tommy snatched it up and started to scribble furiously as he blocked out everything around him. The words had been in his brain on stage- a random thought when he'd looked at Jude between songs- dormant until he could write them out. Now he wrote as quickly as he could, trying to make his hand work as fast as his brain produced the lyrics.

Seeing Jude standing in the audience, looking so…disappointed and lost had done something—it had shifted something inside of him. The Jude he'd seen, watching him so warily, was nothing like the girl he'd known for so long. It wasn't just the physical changes. Something between them had changed, just like Kwest had warned him, and their relationship wasn't the same. It wasn't just about tonight either. He could explain that all away. It was everything else. They could laugh and joke and pretend all they wanted, but things had happened on the show that they couldn't take back. The kissing hadn't been pretend. The intense desire to be as physically close to her as possible wasn't rooted in mere friendship. Friends did not roll around together naked in bed. Their relationship had shifted and now things were starting to spiral out of control. Tommy was torn between wishing that they could erase it all and go back to that easy-going camaraderie they shared, and not wanting to forget a single moment of the gut squeezing, heart-pounding discovery that had started with that first kiss.

*****

"Hey! Where'd that come from?" Sephe wondered out loud as she caught sight of the large frame propped up by Jude's bed.

A mass of tangled hair peaked out from the covers and Jude's groggy "What?" made Sephe laugh.

Truthfully she was surprised to see Jude in her bed. More nights than not she snuck back to their room after spending time with Tommy, but last night Jude had been oddly quiet on their way back from the casino night. She didn't jump in to ask Katie questions about the solo date or even gush over Tommy's impromptu performance. Instead she'd made a beeline for the bathroom to get ready for bed and then silently crawled between the sheets and pulled the covers over her head.

Sephe hadn't bothered her, but clearly something had happened with Tommy. Even though she was in on their secret, it was obvious there were a few things that Jude hadn't shared with her yet. As Jude's only real friend in the house though, Sephe considered it her duty to find out what had the other woman so upset.

So she'd come back to the room that morning, prepared to bribe it out Jude with coffee and donuts.

"Someone left the Bowie by your bed," Sephe explained as she stared, a little awed by the impressive memorabilia. She didn't know how she'd missed seeing it earlier, but there it was, propped up against the end.

"Shut up!" Jude sat up in the bed and pushed her tangled hair back behind her ears.

"No. I'm serious…look." Coffee in hand, Sephe gestured with the cup toward the foot of the bed where the framed album was propped up.

Jude scrambled out from the covers to grab it and then sat on her heels, face blank as she stared at it. "That asshole," she finally bit out.

"I thought you'd be happy?" Sephe was a little surprised that Jude's mood hadn't improved and that the Bowie hadn't helped even a little bit.

"Does he think he can just give this to me and it will all be okay? It's hardly fair. It's not like I earned it."

She probably didn't need Sephe to contradict her but... "You, of all people, deserve it. You've clearly sacrificed a lot to help him. That Bowie is the least of what he owes you. Besides, Marcus told me that Tommy's idea was to have the Bowie go to the girl who lost the most money to give to the charity."

Sephe wasn't expecting Jude to burst into tears. Shit. She really wasn't good with tears. But she went over to her friend and sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder while Jude tried to explain.

"I just…this is all so hard. I never…never thought it would be like this."

"I know. But the end result will be worth it. You're going to get the career opportunity of a life-time."

Jude didn't look convinced and Sephe didn't quite know what else to say.

"Ok. That's all I got," she sighed. "This place fucking sucks and the only reason I'm still here is you, kid. Tommy's nice but I'm pretty sure we're not soul-mates—not when he has nicer hair than me."

That earned a wobbly laugh and Sephe gave herself a mental high-five. "So wipe the snot from your face and help me eat these donuts. Then we'll go torment Parker." Another laugh followed and Sephe hoped that she could keep Jude's mood lightened, 'cause things in the house probably weren't going to get better.

*****

Tommy hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but he'd wanted to know what Jude thought of the Bowie. He'd gotten up to come talk with her before the other girls were awake; and maybe he'd also wanted to make sure that she was ok. He didn't want to be a girl about things and read too much into what had gone down the night before. Sometimes people just felt off and things just didn't go smoothly. Last night had definitely been like that for him. He could have handled things with Darius and Jude a lot differently. He knew he needed to apologize for that but he wasn't prepared to say too much. He'd been up most of the night worrying about Jude and his contract with Darius and, at this point, he wasn't mentally or emotionally prepared to deal with either issue.

He'd hoped to feel things out the night before when he'd brought the Bowie up to her room, but she and Sephe had been asleep already, so he decided that maybe she was just tired. Maybe she needed some rest. Even sleeping, she'd looked pale and drawn and he'd convinced himself that it wouldn't be fair to add to her stress by dumping the Darius stuff on her. Not to mention the cluster fuck of emotions he couldn't decipher. There was no way he'd be able to unload that. It would just mess shit up even further.

Jude's tearful words to Sephe confirmed this for him as he stood outside the room. She was unhappy. He didn't need to add to that, not right now.

For her sake, he was glad that she had Sephe to talk to about everything. But it didn't make it ache any less to know that she couldn't tell him what was going on, that he couldn't hug her or tell her that it was going to work out. Right now, he didn't know how it was going to work out, he only knew that he was stuck and that somehow Reality TV had made everything between them less real.

*****

TBC....


End file.
